CONSERVATION OF HERITAGE  
 
    BUILDINGS IN BOKSBURG 
 
 
 
 
 
Theresa Ruth Uren      74 3663 9 
 
 
 
 
 
A Research Report submitted to the Faculty of Engineering and the 
Built Environment, University of the Witwatersrand, in partial 
fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Science in 
Development Planning.  
 
 
 
 
 
 
Germiston, 2008 
 2 
 
Declaration 
 
 
I declare that the Research Report is my own unaided work. It is being submitted 
for the Degree of Master of Science, Development Planning, to the University of 
the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg. It is not being submitted before for any degree 
or examination to any other University. 
 
????????????????????????. 
 
?????. day of ????????????.. year ?????? 
 
   
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 3 
WHY SHOULD  
THE OLD BUILDINGS IN 
COMMISSIONER STREET,   
             BOKSBURG, 
BE CONSERVED? 
  
ABSTRACT: 
 
Development in towns and cities often comes at a price. In most cases, this is the 
loss of the history and the heritage of the place.  Few developers see buildings 
as adaptable structures, partly due to their own educational background, 
experience, profitability, poor implementation of legal restrictions, economic 
issues, profitability and partly, due to the legalities of modern building regulations. 
 
In the research report, I have situated the study area in the city of Boksburg, a 
place typical of an old gold mining centre on the Witwatersrand. In doing the 
research, the history of the place unfolds, as does the present day situation. It 
becomes evident, that, unless action to conserve structures is taken at all 
institutional levels, the physical evidence of the heritage and history will be lost 
forever. Suggestions and recommendations are made, pertaining to the 
processes required to conserve structures and the reasons for conservation. 
 
 4 
 
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS: 
 
 
 
Professor Randy Bird         Supervisor 
 
Ms Louise Cremer.        Boksburg Town Planning Department. 
 
Mr Vincent Maumela        Ekurhuleni Metro Municipality ? Regional  
           Heritage Manager. 
 
Boksburg Historical Association    Information and access to archival material 
 
Mr & Mrs Uren         Past residents of Boksburg. 
 
Boksburg High School         Archival material 
 
Ms Bridget Venter        Inspiration and motivation   
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 5 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
In honour and the memory, of all the families, that contributed to the 
development of Boksburg, especially the Gerickes? and Urens?. 
     
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 6 
CONTENTS 
 
Declaration 
Abstract 
Acknowledgements 
Dedication 
List of Maps 
List of Figures 
List of Photographs 
Chapter One:           The story of time, as recorded in our buildings. 
      1.1   Introduction 
  1.2   Rationale 
  1.3   History 
 1.4   Approach  
 
Chapter Two:        The situation at present in Area 81. 
  2.1 The forces that have led to the neglect and demolition of buildings. 
  2.2 Legal implications 
  2.3    Current Planning Issues in Area 81. 
 
Chapter Three:     Conservation of old buildings in South Africa. 
  3.1   Processes 
  3.2   Why conserve them? 
Chapter Four:     Literature review 
  4.1 Buildings  
 4.2  History    
 4.3   Attitudes 
 4.4 Utility  
  4.5   Decision making   
 4.6   Legalities   
 4.7    Financing and procedures 
Chapter Five:  Unfolding stories. 
Chapter Six:  Stories have a conclusion.  
 7 
References: 
Appendices:   
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 8 
List of Illustrations: 
 
 Maps: 
 
1. Original sketch of the area (1886) 
2. Map of Boksburg (1889) 
3. Suburb plan 
4. 1954 development  
5. Context of Area 
6. Zoning plan for Area 81 
7. LSDF Area 81 
8. Land ? use Zoning Plans for the LSDF  
9. Topological layout of relevant buildings 
10. Map of Heritage Sites adjacent to study precinct 
 
Figures: 
1. Graph to illustrate conditions vs. value  
2. Sample of research form 
 
Photographs: 
1. Aerial view of the town of Boksburg, looking westwards across CBD  
(1995) 
2. Old School on ERPM (2007)  
3. Old ERPM Married Quarters ? Plantation 
      4.  Double storey in South Street 
      5. Site of the demolition of old Baker houses in Plantation 
6.  Trackless Tram 
7.  The old Market Square 
8.  Satellite image of the study area 
9.  Typical Entrance    
10. View west along Commissioner Street 
11. Satellite image of the older western section of Commissioner Street  
 (Union Rd)  
12. Satellite image of the central section of Commissioner Street 
 9 
13. Old Post Office (Theatre) 
14. Old Magistrates Court 
15. Anglican Church 
 
The rest of the photographs in the Appendix are attached to Field Research 
Reports 1 ? 35 and these were taken between July 2007 and July 2008.  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 10
 CHAPTER 1 
 
 THE STORY OF TIME, AS    
     RECORDED IN OUR   
      BUILDINGS 
 
1.1 Introduction 
Mining towns throughout the world, go through cycles of life and death. In my 
experience I have had the good fortune to live in some that were in their prime 
economically and in others that were slowly dying economically. I have also been 
able to visit some that had become ghost towns, such as Eureka City near 
Barberton and another that was saved from total economic disaster by being sold 
in its entirety to become a tourist attraction, namely Pilgrim?s Rest in 
Mpumalanga. The reasons for their establishment, growth and decline are 
usually related to the size of the reserve of the resource being mined at that 
locality, as well as the price of the mineral on the world market. In some places 
such as Eureka City, all the trappings of a once vibrant settlement can be seen in 
the ruins that remain, together with a few derelict signposts. The gold obviously 
did not last long, so the people left the area. Pilgrim?s Rest was experiencing a 
similar decline but was developed as a historic village, a tribute to the brave folk 
who entered the area and also to the craftsmanship and materials of the time as 
most structures are still standing. In both instances, the primary source of income 
for the town was gold. Boksburg, on the other hand, had diversified its economy 
and is no longer totally reliant on gold. It suffered losses but not nearly enough to 
close the town. Its industry and proximity to other large centres assisted in its 
survival. 
 
What remains, in terms of the structures built at the time of the development of 
gold mining, needs conserving. The link between why the city began and where it 
is now needs to be conserved because the structures are the only visible records 
we have of that time. The people who were responsible for mining and 
development in the city are no longer with us as one hundred and twenty years 
 11
 have passed since mining started here.        
 ?Heritage influences and shapes the way we live and think as individuals,  
members of a community and citizens of a nation?.  
(Opportunity Magazine. SACOB. 2007:87) 
 
1.2 Rationale 
My family comes from Boksburg and was involved directly with the gold mining at 
East Rand Propriety Mines (ERPM). Collectively their service amounts to one 
hundred and seventy years. Scholastically, my family has had sixty years at 
schools in the town. Members of the family have worked in the town in various 
fields other than the mine for fifty years and I have been working in the town for 
the last thirty one years. There have been tremendous changes in the area. Not 
all of these have been positive especially with regards to the buildings in the town 
as many of the really unusual ones have been demolished. Over the years, I 
have made it part of my teaching of Geography, to expose my learners to their 
heritage and land use development. They have been taken on numerous town 
trails from the suburb of Plantation to the suburb of Boksburg South. This 
enabled them to see the development of history in their own space and their 
community and to appreciate what is around them that they would not normally 
see. The route of this trail includes landmarks, which have significant heritage 
value and which could become officially listed structures both provincially and 
nationally.  
        
It also came to my attention some time back that there is a wood and iron 
building on the ERPM golf course that was the original school building in the 
town. As an adjunct to my research, I shall be attempting to get this building 
restored and back in use, in conjunction with the members of the club, the 
community and also with the permission and assistance of the Provincial 
Heritage Resources Agency of Gauteng (PHRA-G). It will serve as a useful case 
study and, perhaps, my experience in following this process to fruition will enable 
guidelines to be published.  The interested parties could then make use of this 
within the area known as Precinct 81 around the Central Business District (CBD) 
 12
 in other localities. Terminology in use is tabulated in Appendix A:83, at the end of 
the document. 
 
1.3 History 
The town of Boksburg originally started as a gold mining centre.  Shortly after the 
discovery of gold, coal was also found in the region in 1888 and the area 
supplied the settlement of Johannesburg and its mines with fuel.  The two maps 
below, illustrate the progressive development of the area in the early stages. 
MAP 1  Extract from a hand drawn map of the Witwatersrand in 1886.             BHA Archives 
   A section of this same map can also be found in the C.M.Chipkin?s Johannnesburg Style (1993) 
  MAP 2. Extract of the map showing the layout of the town in 1889.                          BHA Archives 
 
Area where Boksburg is 
now located. 
 13
 Photograph 1  Illustrating the town of Boksburg Central looking Westwards                      Circa 1995 
The photograph above is included for comparison, to show the development of 
this region over a century.  
 
The old gold mining activities are evident throughout the town but there is little 
evidence of the coal mining activity except behind the present day Boksburg East 
station. This area is indicated on Map 3 below. It has relevance with respect to 
the development and industry and the town as a whole. 
 
 
        Old coal  
    mining area 
         North 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
   
   MAP 3. Extract of Municipal Suburb planning map. Scale 1: 20000 
Western end of 
Commissioner 
Str. (Union Rd) 
End of Study 
area. 
Area of 
old 
market 
 14
  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
North 
  MAP 4.         Extract of Trigonometrical Survey Map of 1954.  Scale 1:18000          
The railway line was extended from Johannesburg to the then Vogelfontein 
station, now Boksburg station, (Labelled B on Map 4) to facilitate the movement 
of the coal. President Kruger referred to it as the Rand Tram.  Mining then started 
in earnest along the reef which runs in a roughly east ? west direction. The town 
was only declared a municipality in 1903. (BHA Archives)  
                                 
In the early years the economy of the area boomed and many structures were 
built to meet the needs of the rapidly growing community, e.g. a school was 
erected to provide education and it is still on the ERPM golf course. 
  
 
 
 
 
 
         
 Photograph 2. Original school building located on ERPM Golf Course.    Photographer. T R  Uren 
               October 2007.  
B 
 15
 The suburb of Plantation was developed by the mine as housing for staff and 
management. Among these buildings were some designed by Herbert Baker.  
Some of these are seen below. 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Photograph 3  Double Storey  Married Quarters. Photographer. T R  Uren  January 2009 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Photograph 4       Double Storey in South Street   Photographer. T R  Uren   January 2009 
 The whole suburbs? buildings have since been gradually sold off by the mine, to 
private owners and are in varying states of repair. There has also been some 
demolition of structures in the recent past (Appendix N:145). 
 
 
 
 
 16
  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Photograph 5.   Site of recent demolition houses in the suburb of  Plantation. 
              Photographer  T R Uren  January 2008    
The area of the old town centre had numerous hotels, recreational, 
administrative, and service buildings. Their architectural styles varied greatly and 
they too are in varying physical states.  The styles varied greatly and included 
Georgian, Victorian, Edwardian, and Elizabethan structures. The choice of style 
came about because of fashions, the varying utilities for which the structures 
were built, and the finance available at the time. Adjacent to this region is the 
Boksburg Lake and Boksburg Prison. Montagu White was responsible for the 
project of creating the Boksburg Lake. The prison was built to house prisoners 
brought to the region to excavate what is now the lake area. This was needed to 
water the many animals used for transportation to the rapidly growing settlement.  
The excavated hole remained empty for some years as there was a drought and 
it was referred to as ?White?s folly?.  Once filled, after a tremendous downpour of 
rain, it became the place to vacation on weekends. The many hotels in the area 
around its shores were always busy, as recorded in newspapers of the time and 
in postcards sent to family members from those that were holidaying in the area. 
The extension of the railway further east also resulted in roads being developed 
in an east - west direction. The town centre gradually shifted to the area now 
occupied by the Town Hall. This ground was the original market around which 
many activities were developed. The street on the south side of the old market, 
Commissioner Street, served as the main access route between the other mining 
towns of Germiston and Benoni. The area was also serviced by a Trackless 
Tram between 1914 and 1925. It traveled a circuit route along the present day 
 17
 Commissioner Street and Trichardt Road, along Main Reef Road to the ERPM 
workings and back to the then Vogelfontein Station.  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Photograph  6  Trackless Tram.  BHA Archives  Circa 1920 
 
The north-south access route on the east side of the old market still acts as the 
through route, called Trichardt Road. The shops and services needed by the 
community of that time developed along Commissioner and Market Streets. 
Many of these are still in existence, although some have changed both in use 
and structure.  Refer to Appendix B (80 ? 81) for a list of buildings/structures 
older than 60 years along the street.  
 
 
                           
Photograph 7  The old Market Square.                       BHA Archives.  
 
 
 
Commissioner Str  
on the southern 
side of the 
Market. 
Zeeman?s  
Building at the 
corner of 
Commissioner 
Street and 
Trichardt 
Road 
 18
 A Local Spatial Development Framework (LSDF) document has been prepared 
for the development of a precinct plan for the Area known as Area 81 (i.e.The 
CBD and surrounds). To contextualize the study area a copy of the map of the 
region and its land use proposals is included as Map 5 below. 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Map 5 . Ekurhuleni region     LSDF document 1998 
 
 
Boksburg 
CBD  
 19
  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
   
  Map 6  Boksburg Land use map  
 
                   
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Map 7  The LSDF Area 81. Extract of the LSDF document January 2008.   
 
Commissioner 
Str.  
Precinct study 
area.  
 20
  
              
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
     
Photograph  8    Satellite view of the study area . Google Earth 2008 
 
My focus will be specifically along the Commissioner Street activity spine, as 
indicated in the photograph above, between point A and Trichardt road at point 
B, as it lends itself to study as a (chronology) timeline of Boksburg?s history and 
commercial development as evidenced in the ages and styles of the different 
structures. At present there are no heritage sites fronting this specific road, but 
there are three within the Area 81, an area demarcated for specific development 
in the LSDF for Boksburg.  The map of their location and the list and photographs 
of these Heritage buildings can be found in Appendix C:82 ? 83.  
  
Should my research show that the other buildings of architectural value are 
worthy of restoration and conservation within the planning framework, it would 
make this street a worthwhile precinct to visit and it would lend economic value to 
the present owners. This section of street coincides with the area between two 
proposed development nodes in the Precinct Plan, around the stations 
mentioned previously. Commissioner Street is an axes road (an obliged way 
through which people have to pass to access a particular site/sites in a locale) for 
this area.  
 
There are many examples in South Africa where urban renewal has enhanced 
the value of areas, Newtown being one. Creative re-use of buildings has also 
been undertaken as seen in East London, in the old goal, which has been 
converted to a shopping centre. My research has however shown that in the 
A 
B 
 21
 South African context, there is little being done practically with set guidelines on 
how to go about decision making in this regard. The constitution, planning law 
and the development frameworks tell one what should be done, not how to go 
about the process. This means that in principle, there are vague guidelines but 
little means of these being effectively implemented. The reasons for this will be 
alluded to in the text.  
 
My research aims to provide a framework within which it can be shown how to 
decide on which buildings to conserve. I will also establish, whether the buildings 
I have identified as heritage buildings in Boksburg?s Commissioner Street, should 
be conserved within the planning framework of the area.   
 
1.4 Approach 
My approach to the research report is normative. Sarantakos and others, 
describe normativism as an approach in which: 
o ?Objectivity is unattainable, unnecessary and undesirable. 
o Social science is normative; its goal is to study what ought to be and not 
only what is. 
o People?s orientation is based on and constructed with values, which direct 
thinking and action, and cannot be neutralized, isolated or ignored. 
o Being normative and disclosing the inevitable bias or personal beliefs is 
less dangerous than to be value free.? (2005:93) 
 
It is my aim to be as objective as possible within this framework. The nature of 
research, however, means that there will be a measure of influence from my 
background and education. In terms of the research completed it is important to 
note that it is highly representative even though it is a localized site that is being 
studied. This implies that the findings and outcomes for the targeted streetscape 
along Commissioner Street, from the Boksburg Station developmental node to 
the Boksburg East developmental node within the LSDF area 81, could be 
applied to other areas and towns. The site of my research is typical of other old 
mining towns in the country, whether urban or rural in character. Schofield is 
frequently quoted in work by Sarantakos. He points out that certain criteria could 
 22
 be used to assess the level of generalization. These are ?conceptual power, 
fittingness, and comparibility? (Sarantakos 2005:25). 
 
The research design I chose was a triangulation method, which is a combination 
of desktop research, interviews and fieldwork. The interviews were with a variety 
of stakeholders. These included planning authorities, landowners, developers, 
residents, heritage resource officials, and council officials. The nature of the 
research is of a flexible qualitative design nature. This approach links with the 
normative approach as defined by Sarantakos. My research could also be 
viewed as critical research. This is because it is a ?topical subject with political 
significance? (Sarantakos. 2005:115) within the South African National and Local 
Planning arenas. It goes further, in that it publicizes an issue which has been 
?neglected? for a period of time.  
 
In order for the research to be done effectively I have made use of the 
triangulation method of research, as described above. By using multiple 
approaches it has been possible to gain differing perspectives on the issues. This 
has allowed for a more normative approach and it has lent more objectivity to the 
exercise by having other viewpoints included. In this way the findings have been 
validated through other sources, particular that of Bakker, as he reports in the 
periodical SAJAH (2007). 
 
The study area selected involves thirty-five buildings older than sixty years along 
Commissioner Street in Boksburg. This implies that a collective study has been 
done and that each structure forms part of the whole. A precinct is purported to 
have more heritage value than individual structures. The fieldwork carried out is 
in context and forms part of the LSDF planning for the specific area 81.   
In terms of applied research methodology the route I took was that of action 
research. The nature of this research within the study I have done, highlights 
certain aspects of this type of research. I should like to quote these and put my 
research in the context of this approach.   
 
Sarantakos quotes Burns et al. as follows: 
 23
 o ?Applied ? addresses specific problems and proposes immediate 
solutions. 
o Situational ? it diagnoses a problem and attempts to solve it. 
o Topical ? It focuses on topical issues of social and political nature. 
o Collaborative ? It requires the efforts of researchers and practitioners. 
o Participatory ? Researchers take part in the implementation of the 
findings. 
o Political ? It employs a political stance and direction in its orientation. 
o Emancipatory ? It attempts to actively involve people in the process of 
change. 
o Self-evaluation ? It involves a constant evaluation of its process and 
modifications to adjust research and practice.? (2005:333) 
 
On a personal level, I hold a pragmatic view of conservation. In support of this 
statement I should like to quote Stewart Brand, the well know American author. 
He was ?drawn to preservationists, because they are the only building 
professionals with a pragmatic interest in the long term effects of time on 
buildings. They work creatively with the economy and changing uses of buildings 
and they promote expertise in the crafts of longevity. The preservationists have a 
philosophy of time and responsibility that includes the future. They act on what 
they learn? (1994:90).  
 
I have concluded from my research, that the idea of the old buildings in 
Commissioner Street in Boksburg being conserved for the future does not restrict 
their use in any way, even within the planning documents and legalities for the 
area. Many have changed their function whilst retaining some of their structure, 
albeit not all, in most cases. What remains of the structures is still able to 
represent their original use and they are able to tell the story of their time. The 
history of the town both good and bad is represented in these structures. To 
return to the pragmatic philosophy I have, I appreciate the comment by Clem 
Labine in Brand?s work, on How buildings Learn,  that ?If it works and is built well, 
and it?s a nice example of whatever it was intended to be, and it is not getting in 
the way, then I say leave it?. (Brand 1994: 108) This would certainly be a good 
 24
 approach to take for the buildings selected for research along Commissioner 
Street. Even though there is pressure for change in the older areas, there are 
many other structures built more recently within this area that can be more easily 
and cheaply adapted and altered for re-use.  
 
The introduction, philosophy and descriptions are followed by commentaries on 
the research processes undertaken. In the final chapter the answer to the 
research question is given making use of all the research information which 
precedes it. For the purpose of assisting the bodies involved in heritage listing, 
the fieldwork reports include photographic records of the structures. These will 
serve as preliminary steps towards getting the structures protected in the interim, 
while the official processes are undertaken. Relevant documents in use in South 
Africa are included in the appendices, as well as others in use in other countries 
for the sake of comparison. These are included to enable authorities receiving 
this document to make appropriate decisions.  A document in use in the USA is 
included as Appendix D:84 for comparison.  
 
The report follows the pattern of addressing the planning issues together with the 
legal framework pertaining to old buildings in this country. It sets the scene for 
identifying the conditions under which structures exist at present in 
Commissioner Street, Boksburg. Having researched the structures and 
documents, it is relevant to comment on what is being done to conserve old 
buildings in South Africa.  
 
A comparison of approaches both local and globally was undertaken in the 
literature review in a thematic manner. This was done to make some sense of all 
the readings and cover the research findings, both of these enabling answers to 
the research questions to be successfully undertaken.   
 
 
 
 25
 CHAPTER 2 
         THE SITUATION  
             AT PRESENT, IN  AREA 81 
 
2.1 The neglect and demolition of the listed buildings, within the study  
area, have been brought about by the forces as described below. 
 
The development of regional and suburban shopping centres has greatly 
influenced the Central Business District (CBD) of Boksburg. The threshold 
populations (minimum numbers of people required to maintain the turnover of a 
business), of most of the businesses can no longer be met and these businesses 
have been forced to relocate to these outlying centres or close down. The 
structures they occupied have undergone physical and functional blight, over a 
long period, starting in the early 1980?s. The nature of the goods sold also altered 
from high to low order goods. A large shopping centre was recently built on the 
south-west side of the CBD adjacent to the K90 ring road and this has drawn 
even the local shoppers away from the CBD because its location is easy to 
access.      
 
A second major influence on the demise of the CBD was the economic situation 
pertaining to mining in the city. The price of gold fluctuated enormously in the late 
1970?s and early 1980?s. The mines closed many of their developments and also 
paid off many of their labourers. These workers lived in compounds close to the 
older part of the CBD and spent much of their income on goods that they could 
send home and also goods they required on a daily basis. These residential 
compound buildings on the fringe of the more recently built local shopping centre 
are presently abandoned and in a poor state of repair.  Particular note must be 
made of the important informal social service and function these old shops 
provided. There were always groups of similar cultures and language speakers 
located in the downtown section. It was a happy and vibrant area. (BHA archives) 
 26
 The CBD suffered some decline with the improvement of the thoroughfare 
upgrade between Germiston and Benoni, along Leeuwpoort Street, in the late 
1990?s. This took away a great deal of traffic from Commissioner Street.  The 
problem has been exacerbated by the development of the K90 ring road around 
the city centre. Very few vehicles actually go along the central section of 
Commissioner Street now, unless they have particular business in the town 
centre. Public transport is still running into the town centre, but that mainly goes 
in a north - south direction towards the residential areas. None go along 
Commissioner Street, where there used to be a very efficient tram service in the 
old days between 1914 and 1925. Despite a large taxi rank in the CBD, very few 
people move along the central section of Commissioner Street in the present day 
CBD.  
  
The adaptability of many of the old buildings has been questioned. They are 
mostly of the same height, i.e. double storey. There are no lifts in them and 
perhaps that has led to the owners not seeing potential adaptive re-use. Many of 
the frontages have been changed over the years and not many have the original 
materials left. The wood and glass making up these facades are not that secure 
and that has led to many modifications. Even in the past this seemed to be an 
issue as they have mirrors above the entrances and glass bricks on the 
pavement to allow light into basements. Internally, many have left the original 
staircases intact and some of these are solid wood and are quite sturdy, albeit 
narrow. An example of these entrances is given in photograph 9 below. 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Photograph  9   Photographer TR Uren July 2008 
Typical entrance to 
buildings, showing  
the wood, glass and 
tiles, as well as mirrors 
above the entrance. 
 27
 Many of these buildings were designed to have people living in the upper section. 
This has continued to be the case and many of the inhabitants are foreigners and 
young couples with low incomes and no transport of their own. Access to the 
taxis, busses and trains is within walking distance. Education facilities are also 
within walking distance for both primary and high schools. 
 
Cost analysis pertaining to renovation or rebuilding has to be assessed. In the 
past it was quite cheap to demolish and rebuild structures anywhere. The cost of 
materials has now escalated and this is no longer such a viable option, especially 
where land values have dropped, as in the economically declining CBD. It is also 
affected by the position of the newer buildings and also the prospective 
profitability. The CBD, as mentioned, no longer has the numbers of people 
moving through it that there used to be in the past and this implies that it is not 
worth spending large amounts of money on a new structure. Building costs for 
retail structures similar to those in existence in the area are approximately R6500 
per metre squared. 
 
The age of the owners of the properties also plays a role in whether the buildings 
are maintained or not. The older people are less likely to make changes to the 
structure because they are unable to afford to do so. The turnover in the affected 
study area has dropped and so the owners are only able to survive the changing 
economy. Younger owners are more likely to make changes and have less 
attachment to the heritage value of the structures. This means that the 
functionality is the priority and changes are made based on improved utility not 
sentimentality or historical value and aesthetics. 
 
The function of the building also influences whether they are maintained or not. 
In some instances in the study area there are legal firms occupying upper floors 
and retail activities below. This makes a difference to the impressions of clients 
on arrival at the firm. Should the building be decaying there will be a drop off in 
clientele, whereas if smart and well maintained, it retains some influence and, 
therefore, keeps its business. In another instance a beautiful and influential 
building became a panel beater, and subsequently a wheel and tyre 
 28
 centre/warehouse and it has fallen into a greater state of disrepair. The acoustics 
inside of this structure are excellent and some valuable structures are still intact 
inside. 
 
The aspect of whether the title deeds conflict with the land use management plan 
and zoning for the area, appears to be a non-issue in that the zoning for the area 
has remained the same. At the same time cognizance must be taken of the 
Development Facilitation Act 67 of 1995, when referring to the Precinct plan for 
the area. This may impact on the length of time the buildings are able to 
withstand the pressure for change. An extract of the Land-Use Zone map is 
provided to assist in understanding the planning for the area in the research 
report. 
Map 8. Zoning plans for the LSDF area.         Extract from LSDF document  (Not to scale) 
 
Education of the owners is an issue that needs to be addressed. I am aware that 
some of the owners have been informed of the historical value of their property. It 
Precinct 
Study 
area 
 29
 is my intention as part of this research project to inform owners and to encourage 
them to participate in the renewal and conservation of this precinct. The reasons 
used to encourage them, will be elaborated on in a later chapter. Some of them 
do not reside in the town and, therefore, have little attachment to the community 
other than providing a service even though they know the value of what they 
own. 
  
2.2 Legal Implications  
In terms of town planning, defined as ?the preparation and construction of plans 
in accordance with which the growth and extension of a town is to be regulated, 
so as to make use of the natural advantages of the site, and to secure the most 
advantageous conditions of housing and traffic, the convenient situation in public 
buildings, open spaces, et cetera? (Van Wyk 1999:22), there is little change 
within the area. This is partly because in the Government Notice 1888 of 1990, 
erven already in use in an area retain their use in terms of land use zoning. The 
map of land use zones proposed in the Area 81 plan is what is currently taking 
place. The application of this within the Physical Planning Act 125 of 1991 and 
application to Boksburg would be the ?harmonious and coordinated development 
of an area to which it relates (including, where necessary, the layout and 
redevelopment of any part of it which has already been subdivided and built 
upon) in such a way as will most effectively tend to promote health, safety, good 
order, amenity, convenience and general welfare, as well as efficiency and 
economy in the process of development? (Van Wyk 1999:30).  
 
In particular, Boksburg has a history of hanging onto its apartheid past. The 
previous authorities had the old provincial flag flying at the Municipal offices prior 
to the general elections that brought the African National Congress to power. The 
local authorities of the time also fenced the lake grounds off and restricted 
access to the area by non-whites. This was not the only area where division 
along racial lines was pronounced.  
Obviously the new legislation required that communities be protected from this 
within the planning schemes. ?The Government Notice R1888 of 1990 titled Land 
Use and Planning Regulations, stated that the purpose of a structure plan is to 
 30
 lay down guidelines for the future spatial development of an area to which it 
relates, including urban renewal, the preservation of the natural and developed 
environment, urban design or the preparation of development plans, in such a 
way as will most effectively promote the order of the area as well as the general 
welfare of the community concerned? (Van Wyk 1999:31). This legislation arrived 
in time to ensure that the area in question has some protection within the law, but 
does not offer specific protection for old buildings, because the definition is too 
broad and, therefore vague. (Ref - Appendix P:148) 
 
Further legal protection for the area is given by way of the Development 
Facilitation Act 67 of 1995. This legislation enabled Land Development 
Objectives to be outlined and Integrated Development Plans to be developed for 
each area of the country. There are procedures in place and these have to be 
followed. 
 
Where a change in Land-use is requested there are procedures to be followed. 
This may require the removal of restrictions as they appear in the title deed, and 
also consent use for the new development. These processes are lengthy and 
require public participation and legal input. To undertake this, the Gauteng 
Development Planning Bill 1999 procedures must be followed. Jeannie van Wyk 
makes extensive reference to the procedures to be followed and which legislation 
affects decision making in her book, Planning Law, Principles and Procedures of 
Land-use Management in Chapters Seven and Eight (1999:190-236). She 
highlights the issues which are relevant to the enforcement or removal of 
restrictive conditions, such as the neighbourhood, its character, local authority 
domain, public law, neighbour law, and public interest.  I shall be referring to 
these issues later when specific buildings are studied in the LSDF Area 81 and 
the Activity spine of Commissioner Street. The documents have been included as 
a guideline on how to follow a process towards protecting structures. 
 
2.3 Current Planning issues in the Area 81 LSDF 
The extract below from the LSDF document is headed Revitalisation of the 
Boksburg CBD and it states: 
 31
 ?In line with the Metropolitan Spatial Development Framework, The LSDF 
for Area 81 promotes the concentration of non-residential uses in nodes. 
The decentralization of retail uses had a negative impact on the Boksburg 
CBD, with most of the high-order retail and wholesale trade now found in 
Boksburg North close to the N12 freeway. It is therefore necessary to 
propose alternative uses to support revitalisation of the CBD. The LSDF 
proposes the development of the CBD with the highest intensity of uses, 
both in terms of the range of land uses permitted and the development 
parameters (controls) Future retail growth in the area should be taken up 
through limited expansion of the existing neighbourhood centres, but 
primarily through additional retail rights in and around the CBD, 
specifically in the areas to the west and north of the CBD, the CBD itself 
and along Trichardt Road between Cason Road and the railway line. This 
is in support of the revitalization of the CBD. 
 
The LSDF permits auto trade, general business (retail, offices and other 
businesses) community facilities, hospitality uses, medical facilities, 
personal service industries and service industries in the CBD. In terms of 
development parameter, the LSDF permits buildings up to ten storeys 
high, with coverage of 85 % and floor area ratio of 9.0. The parameters 
are lenient to encourage redevelopment? (LSDF. 2008). This, may also be 
a potential threat to the conservation of these buildings. 
?Residential development with densities of 60+ dwelling units per hectare 
is permitted. The intention of this is to promote redevelopment of medium 
to high rise, high density residential development for the entry level low to 
middle class income groups. The CBD is within walking distance from the 
Boksburg East station, hence promoting the use of public transport.  By 
increasing the residential component of the CBD, the demand for shops, 
fast food outlets and entertainment will increase, with positive spin-offs on 
the entire area.?  Ekurhuleni Metropolitan Municipality? (EMM) January 
2008.   
   
 32
 According to the document quoted above there are only three types of activities 
that would require the consent of the local authorities should they wish to start up 
in the CBD core and secondary area and they are, spazas, taverns and home 
enterprises. In my study I shall propose alternative uses for some buildings that 
would still remain within the gamut of the plan for Area 81. My area of study is 
restricted to the activity spine of Commissioner Street from Plantation, up to 
Trichardt Road.  The revitalization Plan for the Boksburg CBD compares 
favourably to the revitalization presently being carried out in Pretoria CBD. 
(Building Africa. October 2007)   
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 33
 CHAPTER 3 
CONSERVATION OF OLD BUILDINGS 
                   IN SOUTH AFRICA 
3.1  Processes 
 
Globally, there is a non-governmental agency called ICOMOS (International 
Council on Monuments and Sites) and we as a country are signatories of some 
of the Charters. It is a group which is ?dedicated to the conservation of the 
world?s historic monuments and sites. It has adopted a wide range of Charters on 
heritage related issues since 1964 [www.saia.org.za/heritage.php  (14/3/08)]. 
This organization is supported by the Vienna Memorandum and the Jerusalem 
Declaration which ?focus on the sustainability and integration of the Historic 
Urban Landscape? [www.saia.org.za/heritage.php  (14/3/08)].  
Other sites of use in the South African context include: 
http://www.southafricanheritage.co.za, http://www.sharpcity.co.za, UDISA, 
SACPLAN, www.architectmagazineonline.co.za and 
http://www.journalofarchitecturaleducation.co.za. 
 
Planning Legislation as referred to in Chapter 2 is important as it legally binds 
owners regarding land use, but not specific structures. This is insufficient to 
protect the buildings themselves. I have commented on this issue in Chapter 2. 
 
Other legislation was enacted in the form of the National Heritage Resources Act 
(No 25 of 1999)  South African Heritage Resources Agency (SAHRA) is a 
statutory organisation established in terms of the Act as a national body 
responsible for the protection of South Africa?s cultural heritage resources.  
This document states clearly that a Heritage register must be kept as indicated in 
Section 7 of the Act. I shall refer to this again in my research findings.  
 34
 SAIA (South African Institute of Architects) is a voluntary body to which any 
architect may belong, but does not legislate or determine whether buildings are 
preserved. 
 
SACAP (South African Council for the Architectural Profession) is the regulatory 
body for the profession. It provides for the registration of practitioners in the field. 
SAPI (South African Planning Institute) requires all planners to be registered and 
they do play a role in ensuring planners take heed of legislation pertaining to 
heritage buildings. These members are obliged to follow guidelines pertaining to 
planning at all levels of government and are instrumental in developing the 
planning documents within the tiers at local government levels. 
 
It is at this level that Heritage Impact Assessments be done carefully, before any 
changes in land - uses are allowed and before buildings are demolished. There 
are numerous examples of criteria in use in different parts of the world. Most of 
these require baseline studies, desktop studies, and fieldwork.   The criteria in 
use in South Africa are attached, and these will be used in fieldwork to assess 
the study area along the activity spine of Commissioner Street. Together with this 
I have attached the criteria in use in Chichester, Shanghai and Belfast for 
comparison. (Ref: Appendix E, F & G:85 ? 88) 
 
It is apparent in the economic climate of today that the vast majority of 
developers and real estate agents are motivated by profit, not by heritage issues. 
It will become evident in the research results that this remains a major stumbling 
block to preservation. Within the first six months of 2008 there have been 
numerous old buildings demolished. (Ref - Appendix N:145) Somehow the 
legislation was unable to protect them in time. Perhaps there has been some way 
for the developers to bypass the legislation and once the problem is highlighted 
or noticed they are simply prepared to pay the fines and apologise. Alternatively 
the local authorities have given special permits to the applicants for demolition. 
The structures cannot be rebuilt as the material has been removed from the site.   
 
It illustrates that the importance of the site is not the same for all communities.  
 35
 Owners are also a problem as most of them lack the knowledge about their 
particular assets? value from a heritage perspective. This is illustrated in my 
research findings.  
 
3.2  Why conserve old buildings? 
In my introduction I quoted from the Opportunity Magazine, 
?Heritage influences and shapes the way we live and think as 
individuals, members of a community and citizens of a nation?.   
        (SACOB. 2007) 
The Boksburg Historical Association has as their motto: 
?The past is the key to the future?. 
     (BHA Archives) 
 
Taking these quotes together I feel that there is much worth preserving 
throughout the country. In particular in Boksburg as it is so important in the 
economic history of this country. For many years the ERPM shafts were the 
deepest in the country and had the best technology for the mining of gold at the 
levels of three kilometers and more. The industries which developed in the town 
in support of the mining sector are numerous and varied. During the time of 
sanctions in South Africa, many specialized industries developed in the area too. 
All the while there was a continuous increase in the population in the town. 
Unfortunately, the mining industry suffered due to the fluctuating gold price and 
many of the migrant labourers were repatriated to their homes, mostly across our 
borders. These people had a special influence on the town as there were regular 
dancing competitions between language and cultural groups. The areas along 
the old sector of Commissioner Street were where groups could often be found 
socializing.   
 
 
 
 
 
 
 36
  
CHAPTER 4 
                     LITERATURE REVIEW 
 
There are numerous works that guide my research. I have tried to group these 
into themes so as to give my review some structure.  
 
4.1 Buildings: 
In his book, The Real World, Bruce Marshall has covered different aspects of the 
natural and built environments. His introductory description of the Urban Mosaic 
is relevant to this research. He describes the city as a ?vast and seemingly 
haphazard structure?,(1991:166) in which even ?diverse architectural styles 
compete for attention?(1991:166). He comments further that ?within the chaos of 
urban life, each different type of building has its place?(1991:166)  Marshall goes 
on to say that city layouts, major buildings, et al. represent certain beliefs about 
the nature and structure of the world, even from earlier times. He mentions that 
?even today, values and beliefs of societies are still reflected everywhere? 
(1991:166), regardless of culture or country. He relates that through disruptions 
and regeneration, some original elements remain, usually the physical ones. He 
states that cities are ?the most complex human artifacts and today those living in 
them often have no emotional attachments to them or shared beliefs in them? 
(1991:167).  I believe his comment that ?nowhere is the urban mosaic 
unchanging? (1991:167), is apt, yet there needs to be some stability and retention 
of the old to have a sense of place one might call home. 
 
Brand?s book, How Buildings Learn, follows an interesting approach to structures. 
He, together with Marshall, holds the view that the concept of a building implies 
change. He comments that change happens differently in different building types. 
The examples he gives are those of commercial, institutional and domestic 
buildings.  The first type changes rapidly because of competition, the second do 
not adapt well or at all, and the third adapt continuously. As part of his insight 
 37
 particularly the commercial buildings he comments that ?cities devour buildings? 
(Brand 1991:82), especially in the area surrounding the city centres.  His ideas 
take into account issues raised by other architects, planners and statesmen 
before him, that ?form follows function?, and that ?we shape our buildings and then 
they shape us?, but he more realistically, together with Rina Swentzel, has the 
idea that change in buildings is cyclical and that ?functions reform form? (Brand 
1994:3). 
 
Brand?s research raised examples of other approaches to buildings and change. 
He cites Duffy as having an unusual approach in that buildings are said to have 
four layers. Brand adjusted these for his purposes to having six layers, namely 
site, structure, skin, services, space plan, and stuff. He stated that the dynamics 
of change are dominated by the slow components of site, structure and skin 
whilst the other layers are able to change more rapidly through human 
interaction.  
His other approach is to classify buildings into types, namely, Low Road, High 
Road, and No Road buildings. The first type he mentions, take on the personality 
of the occupants. They tend to be low visibility, low rent, have no style and have 
high occupancy turnover. Jane Jacobs describes these, as buildings in which you 
?could do what you want? and they are highly flexible. (Brand 1994:33).  
 
In contrast, the High Road buildings are those which impose themselves on the 
occupant. They are described as having ?high intent, duration of purpose, high 
visibility, high style, and maturity?(Brand.1994:49). They are also expensive to 
maintain and are not flexible. He states the ?time has taught them and they teach 
us? (Brand 1994:49). The No Road buildings are also referred to as magazine 
architecture. Many of these buildings adapt very poorly and reflect, as Joel 
Garreau an American journalist and author mentions in his book Edge Cities 
(1992), the conflict between the architect and the developer. Many of these 
buildings are the result, as Brand mentions, of ?waste, haste and avarice? 
(1994:72), and often appear as ?contradictions, as habitats and property, within 
the surrounding community? (1994:72). In a later section of his book, Brand says 
that ?mistakes instruct? (1994:88) and there should be the approach of ?get rich 
 38
 slow? (1994:88) when it comes to architecture and development. Although he 
agrees that ?strangeness encourages longevity? (1994:109), this is not always 
going to hold true if the building in question is unable to be adapted and re-used.   
 
4.2 History 
 
In the book, The Park Cities: A Walkers Guide and Brief History, the authors,  
Galloway and Matthews, express their desire to share their fascination with the 
history of the place. They state that ?history tends to change as the identity of the 
story teller changes? (1988:ix). I find this relevant in my research in that the 
buildings themselves need to be the storytellers as most have been around for 
more than a century. I need not give their individual histories because they do it 
by way of their ?site, structure and skin?, as described by Brand. (1994:12) 
In a book called Landmarks, An exploration of the South African Mosaic (1991), 
which arose from a long running radio series, some interesting facts stood out for 
me. One of these is that, fact is much more fascinating than fiction. Many 
buildings and the stories associated with them have enriched our cities and 
societies. Some of the buildings mentioned have given people a sense of identity 
and recognition.  There is also a familiarity with the way many towns associated 
with gold mining developed and the structures in these places which still remain. 
The changes and their effects then and now are similar, as are the attitudes of 
the people affected.  
 
In the essay, Urban Fragmentation, Inequality and Social Justice: Ethical 
Perspectives by David M. Smith, Young is quoted as saying that ?a model of a 
transformed society must be given from the material structures that are given to 
us at this time in history? (2003:26). This would be appropriate in that the 
buildings that remain are our direct physical link with the past and the only 
material thing we have on which to plan the future. Linking this again with 
Brand?s site, structure, skin. et al., approach, I would refer specifically to the site 
and structures.  
 
 39
 A Time and Space for African identities in Planning in South Africa, an essay by 
Mark Oranje, suggests we take cognizance of the fact that living and non-living 
things are bound together. People and structures therefore influence each other. 
Our past experience influences our decisions, as does our environment.  
 
If one takes the ideas of the last two authors and links them with an architectural 
film festival review given by the editor of the periodical Archi-technology, 
(September 2007), there is an emphasis on the link between the past and 
present. The editor commented that the festival highlighted the fact that it is a 
fabulous world in which the architectural profession finds itself, relative to the 
constantly changing environment. He also described the festival as a celebration 
of architecture and the built environment. I think that planners need to perhaps 
look at old buildings as a celebration of our past and actively pursue a path to 
retain these structures. 
In the same periodical, Peter Brown, the then President of the SAIAT wrote an 
article decrying the Education Minister?s call to cut back on the arts and 
humanities. He questions where this would leave the profession and the people 
making use of their services.  I feel that we need the arts and humanities in order 
to make sense of the world, to appreciate the buildings, cities, and their history, 
as well as our own.   
 
Some buildings in our cities may be iconic, although not all of them tall. They are 
seen as ?landmarks which are legible from afar, but most people who interact 
with them do so at street level? (Eiker 2007:2). This would surely be a reason to 
retain these old buildings to give the community a sense of place, a frame of 
reference and enable the users of the space to have a proper mind map of that 
space.  
 
There is a definite need for ?stability within these mental maps and city images?  
(Markus 1979:1).  Should the space be constantly altered research has shown 
there is an increase in vandalism, complaints and disorientation. Markus? work 
illustrates that ?stability is a sense of continuity with the past. A prevailing sense 
of history embodied in a building or place gives roots to this sense of stability and 
 40
 security? (1979:2). He quotes Lynch as saying ?A proportion of the past has been 
saved as being good and this promises that the future will also save the present? 
(1979:2). 
His work gives insight to various attitudes towards old buildings. He states that 
?as the rate of change increases, the pressure to maintain continuity with the past 
and hence stability also increases. The more ancient the building, the more the 
implied continuity, and the greater the resistance to it being lost? (1979:2). 
 
Supporting the topic of stability and sense of place, Fitch is quoted in 
Diamonstein?s work, Buildings Reborn, as saying ?that out of a realization that 
familiarity makes for livability and comfort, that too concentrated a dose of the 
new may leave people feeling uprooted and disoriented, that a proper balance 
must be struck between conservation and new development? (1978:15). 
Many buildings can be hidden treasures in a city where new development 
continues without due respect and regard for what came before. Reference is 
made to this in Brands work where he sites the good example of St Mark?s 
Square in Venice, in which rulers that developed the city over a period of time 
made every effort not to disturb the facades and structures in place prior to their 
respective rule. He has also been able to make use of the economists? 
contribution to valuing old buildings by appraising them as having 
?intergenerational equity? (Brand 1994:83).     
 
4.3 Attitudes:  
 
I felt that it was important to include some readings from old works regarding 
attitudes towards preservation and restoration as recorded in text, by Bassett in 
1978. A symposium was held forty years ago in Cape Town and things were very 
different to today. The views held by the presenters at the time were euro-centric 
and they failed to consider the effects of their decisions and suggestions on the 
greater community of the areas. They were all products of the political ideology of 
the day. Today things are different and the community is largely protected from 
such a one-sided view by means of legislation. The Simon van der Stel 
foundation was and still is very influential in the field of preservation and 
 41
 restoration. Back then, however, most structures that underwent preservation or 
renewal processes were destined to be museums. This is in stark contrast with 
what is happening today. There were concerns voiced by most speakers at the 
conference about the haphazard way new buildings were being erected in Cape 
Town at the time. They highlighted the incongruity then between the new and the 
old settings and the changes these new structures brought about in the character 
of particular areas.  
 
At this juncture Cook (1968) mentioned various reasons for restoration and 
preservation being needed. He mentioned particularly the prevention of loss of 
specific buildings and the need to preserve evidence of how people lived, worked 
and thought. At the same conference, a Professor Pryce Lewis highlighted how 
new buildings were out of scale in relation to old buildings. He urged town 
planners to ?ensure satisfactory backgrounds and organization of space 
surrounding old buildings? (Immelman et al 1968:10) in their approach.   
 
In the book Buildings Reborn, the author Barbaralee Daimonstein, mentions that 
there is a strong movement towards preservation and recycling old buildings. 
This group leads the way in the criticism of new buildings and architecture. The 
variety amongst old buildings in terms of their ?site, structure and skin? (Brand 
1994:12), is being replaced by homogenous structures. These modern structures 
do not seem to age very well and are not always able to be used effectively in the 
long term. A case in point would be the Pruitt Igoe housing estate in St Louis, 
Missouri in the USA, which was ultimately demolished.  
 
Buildings also lose their aesthetic value. There seems to be a concurrent decline 
in the modernistic approach because of all these factors. It was also noted that 
?no city and no neighbourhood, can survive being improved by radical surgery 
On the contrary, it is likely to die of it. The way to improve a city is to save as 
much as one can of its past and by a sympathetic adaptive use of that past 
create for it a healthy, nourishing future? (Daimonstein 1978:27). The 
conservation movements have over time gained much influence and they have 
led to the development of statutory frameworks for the preservation of old 
 42
 buildings, both locally and abroad. The population of cities has been influenced 
by these groups and gradually changed their attitudes. This has been added to 
by globalization and increased sophistication and exposure to other things. 
Further to this, people no longer accept plans and changes to old buildings 
without having had input themselves. The community has also realised that 
resources are finite and why not use what already exists. Ada Louise Huxtable 
was very influential in this arena and she also noted that the changes in politics, 
social spheres and economics affected attitudes towards preservation and 
recycling of buildings. 
 
Noteworthy at this point is the fact that schools of architecture changed in their 
attitudes. The Bauhaus movement taught architects to shape the space to fit the 
function. This inductive process relates to the concept of ?form follows function? 
(Daimonstein 1978:28). The Recycling movement relates to environmentalism 
and they taught architects to look at the space and then to deduce what kinds of 
functions it will accept. Huxtable suggests that it must be recognized in 
architecture schools i.e. that some buildings should just be left alone. The 
interpretation of zoning and landmark law and the methods and rationale of 
control and compensation should guide architects in their decision making, not 
fashion at the time or money.  
 
In his lecture series at the York Institute of Advanced Architecture, Professor 
Lindstrum suggested that old buildings have appeal from different perspectives. 
He said that they have appeal from the archeological side because they are 
interesting and may be valuable. From an aesthetic appeal he said they have 
visual amenity, illustrate good regional and perhaps particular character and 
cultural value. They may also have appeal from an economic view because they 
can accommodate tourism and leisure and they may be cheaper to re-use and 
may be good investments. He went further to say that they may be valuable 
energy sources and their re-use could create jobs. He highlighted in his 
presentation that the buildings? functional value increased when new uses are 
found because they may set off regeneration in the surrounds. This will directly 
affect the impact areas and poles. (Latham 2000:4) 
 43
 Following on these approaches it must be said that ?all buildings needs repair, 
even famous ones? (Burnett 2005:12).  If it should be one of these buildings, ?it 
should remain as a moment in time, with that set of ideas? (Burnett 2005:12).  
She advocates that each building be assessed individually and then decisions 
made regarding what to preserve and how one should go about it. She gives the 
example of Lafayette Park designed by Mies van der Rohe. It should be noted 
that ?architecture reflects what?s happening in the world and it is born from its 
own history? (Burnett 2005:20).  Her concluding statement sums up her views 
very well ? ?The key is in respecting the past while forging ahead in the present 
with an eye focused on the future. And don?t be intimidated by a name? (Burnett 
2005:20).   
 
4.4 Utility: 
 
In my readings I found an appropriate description which links architecture and 
utility. ?It is easy to see that in all grades of man?s life, and the dwellings which 
typify them, only one idea has yet manifested itself in his architecture ? viz. that 
of utility. In the savage, half-civilized, and the civilized states, the idea of useful 
and the convenience differ, but only in degrees. In all architecture adaptation to 
the end in view is important? (Downing 1969:4). It would apply to newly built 
structures. What happens to them over time? 
 
Brand has a divergent view in that he says ?Almost no buildings adapt well. They 
are designed not to, however they do adapt anyway, because usages in and 
around them are changing constantly? (1994:10).   
 
With the knowledge that buildings outlast us, we know they will be adapted for re-
 use by the generations that follow. As mentioned before Brand highlights the six 
?s? concepts of site, structure, skin ,et al and comments that ?adaptive buildings 
have to allow slippage between their differently paced systems? (1994:12) He 
quotes Alexander as saying  ?things that are good have a certain kind of 
structure? (1994:49). 
 44
 In his commentary on magazine architecture he mentions the ?specious old box, 
is old because it is profoundly adaptive? (1994:61). This particular kind of 
structure is typically able to be adapted internally, where the services, space plan 
and stuff can be changed to meet new user requirements. This is of course 
providing that is it at a level of ?loose fit?.  This would give the building the ?use 
value of time? as described by Jane Jacobs.  She makes reference to, many 
examples of buildings that have undergone adaptive re-use (Brand 1994:73). 
I have come across many South African examples of adaptive re-use, for 
example, a railway station in Natal has become a tourist venue, the old goal in 
East London has become a shopping centre and the Old Post Office in Boksburg 
has become a theatre. Rosemary Rudd also gives examples of timber structures 
that have changed because the materials are so versatile and durable. Further 
examples can be found in the Pretoria CBD revamp described extensively in the 
periodical, Building Africa ? (October 2007. Vol 7.no 10). The author gives a full 
description of the plans, ideals, needs and catalysts for the project. 
 
It must be said that due regard for the materials of construction must take place. 
These must be cared for when the adaptation takes place. In Europe there is 
extensive use being made of laser to clean up buildings as it minimizes damage 
during the process.    
 
Throughout the readings many terms are used interchangeably. Daimonstein 
uses recycling as a term to describe adapting the building to different uses for 
which it was originally intended. Latham comments that conservation is a more 
mature term to describe this process. Daimonstein highlights the fact as do 
others that the forms and materials from the past are still valid if adapted. This 
leads on to research by Pamela Cunnington. She points out that whatever the 
?new use of a building is, it must be viable and self financing? (1988:20). This 
approach is similar to Latham who points out that buildings adapted must work 
for a living. According to Derek Latham the opportunities for re-use come from 
many sources, namely ? people, buildings and policies. He also states that 
successful re-use is never an easy process.  
 
 45
 This section can by summed up accurately by way of a quote found in the 
introduction to a book on adaptive re-use by Austin. ?What we need is 
continuity? Historic preservation is not sentimentality but a psychological 
necessity. We must learn to cherish history and to preserve worthy old 
buildings? We must learn how to preserve them, not as pathetic museum 
pieces, but by giving them new uses? (1988:vii). 
 
4.5 Decision making: 
 
A link between utility and decision making was made by Dr SS Morris in his 
conference presentation years ago. He stated that ?the preservation of listed 
buildings which have become obsolete and have not adapted themselves to the 
changing life around them is fraught with many difficulties? (Immelman et al 
1978:77). They are subject to the natural law ?adapt or perish? (Immelman et al 
1978:77). In the review thus far it is clear that buildings, even though they may be 
old, need not last forever.  
 
In his chapter on preservation, Brand quotes P. Goldberger as saying ?A lot of 
our belief in preservation comes from our fear of what will replace buildings that 
are not preserved? because we know what will replace it will be no better?. 
Other arguments included in his work for preservation follow the thought that 
?urban regeneration now, is able to achieve what urban renewal failed years ago 
to achieve?(Brand 1994:93). Huxtable mentions this too, when she stated that 
?destruction in the name of renewal created urban wastelands? (Brand.1994:93).  
 
How then to make a wise decision for the future of cities? Graham Aylward 
makes a comment: ?When we see a decrepit area it is not just the physical decay 
we are observing but a manifestation of organizational lethargy, disinterest and 
financial withdrawal, and of individual despair and lack of motivation. These grim 
qualities are self reinforcing and together make any change towards 
improvement a very difficult task? (Markus 1979:1).  
 
 46
 He continues describing that change can be observed if it is physical because it 
?compares the present situation with the past? (1979:2). However he stresses 
that this is subjective. From within he says it is less obvious because the 
community there is part of the change process, whether positive or negative. 
Aylward created models to illustrate the processes of change and he describes 
the implications of these changes. He urges too that the adaptive potential of 
buildings be measured as part of the process. This refers mainly to the form, 
which he sees as the structure of movement patterns and organization of routes 
within the structure. This means that actual measurements must be made of 
distances travelled within the structure and the focus versatility be established. 
The idea behind this is to establish whether all that is required, as well as the 
number and variety of functions can fit into the structure. Some buildings have 
low adaptive potential and then they are not the ones valued sufficiently to list.  
 
Other writers have put forward ideas as to what is required for listing. The 
obvious is age. Farrell suggests in his work that the following criteria be used:  
o ?Knowledge of the economic value of the structure.   
o Structural soundness 
o Load bearing capacity 
o Total area 
o How many floors in height 
o Clearness of span 
o Access to the building 
o Access to services ?  
To these he suggests we add the following questions: 
o ?What is the building like at the moment? How compartmentalized is it?  
o What is the current state of the building fabric? How long will it last? 
o What is the relationship between money which must be expended to  
ensure a good life expectancy and that which is necessary to allow for the 
new use of the building? 
o What are the particular characteristics of the building which can be  
exploited to achieve an optimum solution to the new requirements? 
o What are the respective financial implications of rehabilitation or  
 47
 redevelopment?? (Latham 2000:32 - 35) 
Once a decision has been made it is important to note that the new owner may 
not be the only owner in the future, for this reason it is wise to ensure a ?loose fit? 
within the structure. I have mentioned this before. It will ensure the continued 
adaptability of the building and lengthen the life of the building. The questions 
Austin asks cover the following aspects: 
o ?What criteria are to be used? 
o What is the philosophy or guiding motive for dealing with the buildings? 
o What are the potential costs and benefits of the work required??    
(1988:112) 
 
R.D. Pickard takes a somewhat different view and says that besides the building, 
assessed on its own merit, (for architectural composition, spatial treatment of 
scale, architectural idiom or style, intelligence, ingenuity or innovation, materials 
and integrity) the following issues are to be taken into account:  
?Any respect in which the exterior contributes to the architectural interest or 
historic interest of any group of buildings of which it forms a part? (1996:16). He 
further extends this to include ?any feature of any building or a man-made object 
or structure fixed to the building or forming part of the land comprises within the 
cartilage? (1996:16). He does interpret historic interest to include ?a person or 
event associated with the structure as well as the importance of the building in 
relation to that person?s life and work or that event? (1996:16). The events 
alluded to could be economic, social, cultural or military. In the United Kingdom 
(UK) the ages of buildings is one of the criteria used. Following this there are 
guidelines for owners of listed buildings which is the result of the application of 
criteria or considerations used. These include  
o ?Special value within certain types. 
o Technological innovation or virtuosity. 
o Association with well known characters or events. 
o Group value, especially as examples of town planning? (Pickard 1996:23). 
 
Quoting from the Department of the Environment?s (DoE) guidance notes for 
surveying buildings in the United Kingdom, Pickard highlights the following: 
 48
 ?The replacement factor must also be kept in mind when selecting buildings in 
the group category. A building must not be chosen merely because its 
neighbours are good and one is afraid that if it were demolished it would be 
replaced by an incongruous monstrosity. The design of new buildings can and 
should be controlled under general planning powers and it is not permissible 
therefore to place a building on the statutory list simply to ensure a congruity of 
neighbourhood which could as well be achieved in a new building. It must be 
possible to say the existing building has some quality in relation to the context 
which no new building could have ...? (Pickard: 1996:32). 
 
Once listed, the statutory information required for it to be included covers: 
?B - building types 
D - date of construction and alterations 
A-  architect 
M-  materials used,in structure, cladding and roof 
P- plan or style of layout 
F-  fa?ade description 
I -  interior features 
S - subsidiary features such as boundary walls, etc 
H -  historical information 
E -  extra information  
S -  sources of information from which the description has been compiled?  
 (1996:32). 
 
In the UK there are strict controls over listed buildings, whether for the purpose of 
repair, alteration, painting or renovating. There are even stricter controls over the 
decisions to be made if a listed building is to be demolished. There are only three 
main principles to be followed but they require input from numerous bodies and 
this takes time.  
 
?A city without old buildings is like a man without a memory? (Latham 2000:20) 
In both Canada and the United States of America (USA) studies were done to 
establish which buildings were worth preserving or not. Lichfield in his book The 
 49
 Economics of Urban Conservation sites, gives five headings which were used 
together with a rating scale of 1 ? 100. The headings used were, Architecture, 
History, Environment, Usability and Integrity. These enabled the cost factors to 
be compared with the heritage ranking of a particular building and decisions 
could be made as to what to do with the building.  He mentioned too that the 
social opportunities were to be considered in the decision. The USA used a 
similar system but made use of only three headings. An alternative approach 
could be used and that is the Planning Balance Sheet Analysis.    
 
In the local context SAHRA has established a set of criteria for use in decision 
making regarding old buildings. (Ref - Appendix H:89) 
It is worthwhile comparing our documents with the others described thus far.  
Age is a primary factor, but we are a young country so the cut-off date is sixty 
years and older. Our Act incorporates buildings, structures and man-made 
objects of architectural and cultural significance, as well as sites of archeological 
and paleontological interest. There are nine other criteria to use, which are 
similar to others in use globally, but with specific significance to South Africa. The 
main sections which guide the selection are categorised into: Historic value, 
Aesthetic value, Scientific value and Social value. The last category includes a 
section on Sphere of significance and grading attached to that as High, Medium 
and Low. Following that is a question which asks for a comparison between the 
site in question and others which it can be compared with. Mining in South Africa 
has special significance and criteria are site specific.  
 
As much as protection is given to old buildings in this country, they are not 
beyond being demolished if the local authorities give permission and PHRA-G 
and SAHRA do so too. A case in point can be referred to in Boksburg where one 
of the original mine houses, opposite the first mine shaft in the town, was 
demolished in July, 2008. Its architecture and setting were particularly significant. 
Another more public issue occurred in 2005 where SAHRA gave permission for 
ten buildings in the Johannesburg CBD to be demolished. Some of these were 
very good examples of art deco architecture. Various opinions were given by 
groups of architects, developers and the public in regards to this decision. 
 50
 Questions were also raised as to the financial viability of the proposed 
replacement structures and about who did the Heritage Impact Assessment 
(HIA). It was recommended that the HIA be refined and redone and that adaptive 
re-use of the buildings be investigated. Somehow politics and avarice seem to 
have overridden the statutory requirements as well as inclusivity. 
 
4.6 Legalities: 
 
The last section refers to building demolition and the rights of all to be party to 
decision making. It is necessary to know which statutes are in place to prevent 
such decisions continuing. The relevant sections can be found in the constitution 
and the Bill of rights of the country. To start with the relevancy of issues and 
responsible levels of government can be found in Section 4 A and B and Section 
5 A and B. The Schedule 4 A, lists the functional areas of Concurrent National 
and Provincial Legislative competence and the issues pertaining to this building 
research material are: cultural matters, the environment, housing, pollution, 
population development, property transfer fees, public transport, regional 
planning and development, tourism trade and urban and rural development.  
Section 4 B specifies local government areas of responsibility, which includes 
building regulations, electrical and gas reticulation, tourism, municipal planning, 
municipal public transport, storm water management, trading regulations and 
water and sanitation services. 
 
Functional areas of exclusive provincial legal competence found in Section 5 A 
are archives, museums, libraries, provincial planning, provincial cultural matters, 
provincial recreation and amenities, provincial roads and traffic and in Part B the 
control of public nuisances, local amenities, parks and recreation, public places, 
street trading, traffic and parking.  
These areas of responsibility are important to know should permission be 
required for any activities pertaining to old buildings. The following is Law and in 
the Bill of Rights Section 32,  ?Every person has the right to access all 
information held by the state or any of its organs in any sphere of government in  
so far as that information is required for the execution or protection of any of their 
 51
 rights?.  Similarly one has the right to lawful administrative action, so officials 
cannot override individuals by withholding documents or planning proposals 
which may affect the ownership of your property. Therefore the law protects 
owners to some degree from decisions to demolish or expropriate. Other relevant 
sections in the constitution are Sections 24, 25 & 26.  Oranje, in his work, cites 
the example of Atlanta with regard to the black and white groups moving within 
the city. He highlights the fact that informal arrangements may exist between 
developers and city officials. In this way the process of urban renewal displaced 
many old communities. It also happened here in South Africa in the past, though 
this was legal within the political system of the day. Our new constitution and 
planning documents protect communities from a similar fate now. In Atlanta and 
our old system this process could be referred to as ?system bias, reflecting the 
capacity of city authorities to single-mindedly pursue narrow sectional interests 
with little concern for those literally in the way? (Harrison et al 2003:31). 
 
 Such situations should not arise now in South Africa, but the reality is as the 
?case of Atlanta illustrates how the resources and ingenuity of those who own 
and control capital can meet and accommodate challenges to their power? 
(Harrison et al 2003:32). He also states that internal differentiation is a universal 
feature of cities. In South Africa where apartheid policies existed as evidenced in 
the built environment it will take a long time to change. He suggests too that 
planners in the new system have ?regard for the material of the old era, with its 
own trajectory of change? (Harrrison et al 2003:33) The Policy, Plutocracy and 
Practice debate can be raised here. It was commented on by Grady Clay, the 
editor of Landscape Architecture, together with examples of situations and 
places.   
 
Referring to my initial information regarding legalities, I should like to expand on 
this. On hand, are other issues raised in work on Planning Law within the legal 
system, which pertain to permission granted erroneously for subdivision. Van 
Wyk quotes J A Botha as saying ?there are potentially conflicting interests at 
stake: those of the applicant owner who wishes to use his property to his own 
best advantage; those of neighbouring owners in the locality who may be 
 52
 adversely affected by the subdivision; and those of the local authority itself which 
is charged with the supervision of the orderly harmonious and effective? 
development of the area? (Van Wyk 1999:30).  This situation could arise when 
renewal takes place and plans and procedures are not adhered too within the 
law.  
 
At the root of this issue are the three parties involved. All should have input within 
the law and the Constitution pertaining to land - use. Because Planning Law 
deals with the regulation and management of land-use other clauses can play a 
large role. The deprivation clause is one, applied to planning, determines certain 
limitations or restrictions. Van Wyk explains that this clause also refers to 
expropriation. This is important in the context of land-use planning and zoning. 
Expropriation can happen as per Section 25(2) of the Constitution which states in 
section (a) ?that for a public purpose or in the public interest?, it is in order. These 
issues would become relevant in cities where the old buildings could be 
considered to be ?in the way? of proposed new roads, shopping malls or housing 
estates. Should the owner of the old buildings or a neighbour to that building be 
felt aggrieved or wronged in terms of these processes they may appeal to the 
courts. This pertains particularly to rights of access, administrative action and 
access to information, property and environmental rights and equality.  
 
In South Africa land-use planning legislation has been categorized and van Wyk 
elaborates on these in detail, giving examples of cases and the laws applicable in 
each instance. Should a change in land-use be required it is important to note 
that public notice be given to all interested parties. As example cited is from J 
Alexander ?Amendments and the like to the existing user under a town planning 
scheme matters of great moment. Not only are the lot holders in the immediate 
vicinity affected, but proposals can alter the entire character of the 
neighbourhood, causing concern even to those residing further afield. 
With all the legal requirements being met, there may be problems with the 
enforcement of these. The problems highlighted by van Wyk include: 
Poor planning, involved parties flouting the law, such as town planners, 
developers, estate agents and lawyers, accountability by authorities, lack of 
 53
 vision, lack of will, lack of interest and no tradition. The Integrated Development 
Plan (IDP) programmes in place now, are a way to ensure enforcement but as 
mentioned policy and practice do not always work in parallel (van Wyk 1999). 
 
4.7 Financing and procedures:  
 
In most of the literature I have reviewed the authors from some years back have 
said that it has always been cheaper to renovate than build a new structure. This 
would have been the case for basic renovations prior to re-use and providing not 
too many repairs needed doing at that time. If one looks at the cost factor one 
should take into account the broad view of costs. This applies to materials that 
can be re-used and savings on these as well as the cost of labour. The structure 
is complete, so no wages are required in that area. The cost of energy can be 
computed in terms of what was required to make the materials which have 
already been paid for. Daniel P. Coffey discusses this in his article on adaptive 
re-use, which can be found in the periodical called Contract, Volume 46, Iss.8. 
  
Today it has become more expensive to renovate than to build new structures. 
This is due to the fact that the services, space plan and stuff required within the 
building to meet legal and safety requirements are difficult to adapt and have to 
be replaced. The consequence has been the mushrooming of large structures all 
mostly the same in design, shape and materials. The older buildings are standing 
vacant throughout cities and in most places in the world. Brand makes three 
interesting statements concerning values, costs and buildings  
o ?Adaptive life re-enters a building when it becomes too cheap for  
speculation 
o Zero value land destroys buildings as surely as infinite value 
o Value of land overwhelms the value of existing buildings so they become  
disposable? (Brand 1994:83). 
 
What determines these values? Market forces which relate to demand are the 
main causes. As mentioned before, the city centre areas are dying for various 
reasons, already mentioned. As a result there is less demand for space and 
 54
 buildings in these central locations. When these buildings undergo blight, in all its 
forms, the neighbourhood gets affected. I mentioned this in a previous section 
where decayed areas tell more about them than just their physical appearance. 
Therefore there is little motivation to fix as mentioned by Jane Jacobs. The blight 
extends to the occupants and functions and they go from ?legal to illegal? 
buildings (Brand 1994:79). 
 
The poorer an area becomes over time as part of the decay process, the change 
process comes to a standstill. In contrast Cunnington says that in poorer towns 
more conversions take place because of economics. Distinction should perhaps 
be made between towns as a whole and neighbourhoods. In some instances 
when the whole town becomes affected by poverty and decay they have been 
sold in their entirety. This was the case in Pilgrims Rest some years ago. The 
new owner buys with a mind to developing it as a unit of history, culture and as a 
tourist centre.  The effect should be that value is brought to the place with a 
marked increase in the market value of property depending on how it is 
advertised and used. Examples of neighbourhoods that underwent an economic 
increase are Westdene, Benoni and Melrose, Johannesburg.  
 
Should buildings in a precinct become listed or declared valuable according to 
used criteria it enhances the value of these. This should result in economic 
upliftment in the area as a whole. Care must however be taken not to displace 
the original inhabitants of the area by increasing rents and costs. This did happen 
in the past in many countries. The concepts being referred to here are 
?boutiquification and gentrification?. 
 
Whenever changes occur in areas and these changes lean towards the High  
Road concept mentioned in Brand, the economy should benefit. At this point it 
needs to be said, that the buildings need to remain flexible to re-use by others 
later on and that not all buildings may improve after change. I should like to link 
the quotes of Brand, at the beginning of this section, especially the first one, with 
that of Jane Jacobs in which she mentions that Low Road buildings encourage 
economic activity. 
 55
  
Sally Oldham a more recent writer has observed that it is now cheaper to build 
new. This has been influenced by improved technology, available funding, 
fashion and the economy at the time.  An example can be given of any new 
factory building - It has pre-constructed frames and pillars, cladding and bulk 
layout of flooring. These structures meet all the by-law requirements pertaining to 
fire codes, electrical and water standards. Old buildings need a great deal of 
work to reach the required standards. As Brand mentioned before in his work, the 
site and structure would not need change but the skin, services, space plan and 
stuff would and it would be difficult. In some countries there is finance available 
to do this from governments as well as the official preservation organizations. 
The graph below illustrates the comparison between value and feasibility of 
conservation. It is useful when decisions are taken in this regard. 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Figure 1.Comparison between value and factors affecting value.    Extract from Latham, D. (2000)  
 
 
 
 56
 CHAPTER 5 
           UNFOLDING  STORIES 
 
Regional Heritage Services Manager ? Ekurhuleni Metropolitan area. (July 2008) 
Discussion with this gentleman was worthwhile. He is responsible for all heritage 
issues for nine municipalities in the district. I had arranged an interview to obtain 
a list of heritage buildings in the Boksburg municipal area. I received a portion of 
the report submitted by a service provider the metro had engaged, to list the 
buildings and structures in the region. The full document was e mailed to me for 
scrutiny. The important point he made clear, was that the list had still to be 
verified and its accuracy was questionable. On quick perusal I found this to be 
the case, in that specific structures of which I am aware are older than 60 years, 
had not been placed on the list. In particular I found that the whole group of old 
buildings along the Commissioner Street of Boksburg historical CBD had been 
mentioned as worthy of conservation. No specific structures were listed and there 
are some more modern buildings in the area.  
 
He reiterated that a comprehensive list of conservation worthy buildings does not 
exist at present, in spite of the National Heritage Act 25 of 1999 saying that it 
should be there, by law. This is required in terms of NHRA Act. (Ref- Appendix 
P:148) The manager gave numerous reasons for the lack of provision of such 
lists. Among these being the lack of staff with the necessary skills and training for 
accurate assessments to be made. The size of the area which is under his 
management is too large to effectively provide protection for structures. He often 
got calls from developers and officials at the end of a phase of demolition or 
construction questioning whether what they have already damaged or 
demolished was a legal process or not. At that juncture, it will have been too late 
to alter the course of events and the structure is generally lost. I was made aware 
that the members of the public may call him or the police should they see an old 
valuable structure being tampered with, altered or destroyed.  
 57
 We discussed the issue of funding for conservation of buildings. It is clear that 
the conservation of old buildings is not in the forefront of the minds of decision 
makers and therefore when they allocate money in their budgets, these buildings 
are not a priority. Only if one person in the council has energy and passion to 
drive a conservation process, is it likely to get funding and support. Sometimes 
such support and funding can take the form of instructions in wills or donations 
from families or businesses. A case in point would be the donation of some 
buildings and a museum from the Simmer & Jack Gold mining company to the 
Metropolitan heritage services. It again is clear that little can be done through the 
usual local authority pathway. The manager referred me to some of his contacts 
at SAHRA. He requested that my study be passed on to him at his offices and to 
SAHRA and PHRA-G for inclusion in their inventory of resources.   
 
I was directed to the offices of this organization, SAHRA by the Area services 
manager I had visited previously. On arrival at the venue I found that they had 
moved premises about eighteen months prior.  I eventually arrived at their offices 
in Braamfontein. I requested a list of buildings older than sixty years in Gauteng. 
Once again I was told it does not exist as yet. The excuse given was they were a 
young organisation and had not had sufficient time to put one together. (July, 
2008) I requested what they had as documentation and also contact numbers I 
could make use of for interviews. I did get a copy of the contacts, which 
contained the name of the service specialist that did the initial Ekurhuleni district. 
In the light of the list needing verification and some major features not being 
included in it, its validity is questionable. I did manage to establish the grades of 
buildings which exist. Grade 1 structures are National heritage buildings, Grade 2 
structures are Provincial heritage buildings and Grade 3 structures are Local 
heritage buildings. 
 
Attached as Appendix I:90, is a copy of the survey documents used by the 
Provincial Heritage Resource Agency of Gauteng (PHRA- G). This document is 
made use of for the survey and identification of conservation worthy buildings 
and structures. For the purposes of my research I have modified it somewhat to 
enable me to cover the 35 structures and buildings along Commissioner Street. 
 58
 The document Appendix J:91 ? 102, is the document requiring completion if an 
application is made for any alterations, demolition or re-location of the structure. 
This applies to those structures older than sixty years.  
 
The Appendix K:103 ? 108, document is very interesting in the light of my 
research and its usage. It instructs the owner of a declared heritage site as to 
how it should be managed. It is a complex document and detailed instructions 
are issued as to what needs to be done. The idea of this document is to retain 
the significance of the place. I shall refer to this again in my conclusion and the 
feasibility of my research proposal. 
 
In the course of the last two years (2007 & 2008) The Boksburg Local Authority 
called for public interest and comments regarding their development plans for the 
Area 81. The company contracted to do this and collect and collate responses 
was Plan Associates in Hatfield in Pretoria. Submissions were made by the 
public, one of which I have included for interest, as Appendix L:109. Some 
interesting suggestions were made regarding the regeneration of the town centre 
especially with reference to the Cinderella Prison alongside Trichardt road. 
Official feedback was directed to the planning department of the Local Authority. 
 
At this point I should like to make reference to the fieldwork reports covering the 
Axes road Commissioner Street, between the K90 ring road and the North-South 
axes road of Trichardt Road. The topological sketch maps below indicate the 
location of the specific buildings that were researched.  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
  Photograph 10.         Commissioner Street, central section, looking westwards from the old PLVI. 
          Photographer: T R Uren. July 2008  
 59
  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Photograph 11.  Satellite image of the old section of Commissioner Street. (Union Rd)  
       Google Earth 2008 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
34 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
29 
 
 
30 
 
28 
 
 
 
 
31 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
27 
 
 
25 
 
 
 
24 
 
35 
 
 
 
 
33 
 
 
32 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
26 
 60
 Map 9 a & b. Topological Maps of the Western and Central sections of Commissioner Street.  
Map numbers correspond to fieldwork report reference numbers. 
 
Map  Name of Building & Street No. Name of Building & Street . Map No. 
35 House                                110     
 Police cottage                      97       Railway Cottage                     
33 Police cottage                      99       Railway cottage  
       
32  Police station buildings      112  C  Used for bridge & gardens  
   O    
 Rissik Str M   
 114 M 113  
 116 I 115  
 118 S 117     Old Hotel Bottle Store                29 
 120 S 119     Pope's Building                    
 122 I 121      Old chemist 28 
 124 O 123      Old chemist               
 Buitekant Str N   
 126 E    
 128 R Pergola  
 130     
 132     
 134 S    
 136 T    
   R   31 
 Middel Str E    
 138 E Bowling club  
 140 T    
       
       
       
 148     
 Plein Str    
 Church & Manse               150           125  
 152  127      Christian Science                27 
26 Anglican Annex                 154   129  
 156  131       Annex                                 25 
 158  133      Caf?                                     
 160  135      Caf?                                    
 Hospital Str    
       
       
       
 Canal under road to Cinderella dam   Boksburg Lake 24 
       
       
       
 
 
 
 
 61
 Map No. Name of building & Street No.  Name of building & Street No. Map No. 
 Land used by tenants of :  Land used by :  
     
23    22 
 Prison 212  Methodist Church  
     
     
 Osbourne Str    
 214  209                      Masonic Hall                        
 216  211 21 
 218  213  
 220  215  
 222  217  
 224  219  
 Loop Str    
20 Assembly Hall                     226  221  
 228  223  
 230  225  
 232  227  
 234  229  
 236  231  
 Oostelig Str    
 238  233                    Premier Glass                      19 
17 Group 240                           240  235                    Orange flats                         18 
 Group   242                         242  237  
16 Chester Court                      244  239              Flats with balcony                15 
10 BK Building                         246  241              Maroun                               14 
12 Cuthberts                            248  243              Fishing shop                       13 
 Joubert Str.    
 Kelvin House                        250  245      Bezuidenhout's Building        9 
 252  247      Galloways                          247 8 
 254  249  
 Corders Building                  256  251       Leggatt's 11 
7 Corders Building                  258  253  
 Corders Building                  260   255  
 Bank Str.    
 Standard Bank                     262    
6 Standard Bank                     264    
 266  Cenotaph 2 
5 Central Hotel                        268    
 Central Hotel                        270    
4 First National Bank               272    
 Pretoria Str    
 274  City Hall and gardens 1 
 276    
 278    
 280    
 282    
3 Zeeman's                             284    
 Trichardt Rd    
 
 62
  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
   
Photograph 12.  Satellite image of the central section of Commissioner Street.  
       Google Earth 2008 
 
 
 
 
 
 
24 
 
 
 
22 
 
 
 
 
 
 
21 
 
 
 
 
 
19 
18 
 
15 
 
14 
13 
9 
 
8 
11 
 
 
 
 
2 
 
 
 
1 
 
 
23 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
20 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
17 
 
16 
10 
 
12 
 
 
 
7 
 
 
6 
 
 
5 
 
4 
 
 
 
3 
 63
 I modified the Heritage Impact Assessment form to meet the requirements of my 
research. Below, is a simplified sample of the form used. 
Venue:                                                                                           
Observation category Historic value  Aesthetic value Social value 
Site    
Structure    
Skin    
User functions    
Intangible feeling & spirit    
Conserve the:           
Figure 2.Sample of form used for the Heritage Impact Assessment of Commissioner Street, Boksburg. 
 
Appendix B: 80 ? 81 is a list of the names of the structures and their dates of 
construction as can best be established, condition, ownership and usage past 
and present. It is necessary that this list be consulted to gain an understanding of 
the chronological development, as it occurred along Commissioner Street from 
the western end to the intersection with Trichardt Road.    
 
The full set of completed research reports is included as Appendix M:110 -144.  
As can be seen on each building report I have highlighted the specific aspects of 
the structure worth conserving. The photographs are included for record 
purposes. The summary of these reports is as follows: 
Conserve the ? Whole structure Facade Unique features 
Number of 
structures  
29 6 1 
 
Unfortunately the ground floor frontages on many of the structures have been 
changed for security reasons. The rest of the buildings have remained largely in 
tact.  Internally the bulk of the buildings have undergone changes to suit tenant 
requirements, but some still have internal support pillars and the original pressed 
ceilings. For the most part the streetscape is still attractive and can with minor 
effort be cleaned up. Many of the facades have unusual and unique entrances 
which are well worth conserving. This basic cleaning up would improve the area 
immensely. If the whole street became a historic precinct which illustrates the 
 64
 chronological development of the town it could have an important economic and 
social impact on the inner city area. A precinct would be of greater economic and 
historic value than individual structures. Many people reside in the flats on the 
upper floors of these buildings and if the inner city area was upgraded then more 
income could be raised by the building owners in the form of rentals.  
 
Should the findings of the contracted company show that viable suggestions exist 
regarding the use of the Cinderella Prison land as a tertiary institution then 
Boksburg centre would be a vibrant place to live. It has all the old buildings, 
public transport, and some fast food outlets. The atmosphere could become like 
Melville in Johannesburg or Hatfield in Pretoria. The area of the prison in the 
Area 81 plan is designated for other uses, but finance and alternatives may 
dictate other uses. There is a great deal of densification going on in the northern 
section of the town, near the East Rand Mall and the N12 Freeway. The 
population of the town is growing very rapidly. At present there is no tertiary 
institution site in the East Rand region so the idea of a university campus is worth 
considering. The infrastructure already exists so it could be feasible. 
 
Linking my research with planning possibilities for the area Commissioner Street 
would be an Axes route from both the eastern and western areas. The north -
 south Axes would intersect at the City Hall adjacent to the main bus terminal and 
the taxi rank, which is a block away. The impact area extending from the 
proposed conservation precinct would extend to the other access roads and 
businesses along those. These roads are Market and Leeuwpoort Streets. There 
are many conservation-worthy structures along these and with the economic 
spillovers from increased tourism into the area the economy of the town centre 
could be regenerated. This income change could be measured and over time can 
be used to incentivise the owners of the buildings, to join in the conservation 
programmes and get involved in the upgrading of structures. These conservation 
sites once declared could act as growth poles for the economy. This implies that 
the population of the area would increase and it may attract the shops that left 
the CBD to return or for others to take over.  
 
 65
 My research has also led to an interesting development taking place on the old 
mine recreation facilities. A gentleman with passion and money as well as time 
has purchased the Recreation Hall, store, old house, First aid station and assay 
offices. He is presently fixing up the old recreation hall, and attempting to 
conserve what is left and not irreparably damaged.  The gardens are already 
being restored to their former glory and the cenotaph is included in his plans.   
His intention is to maintain the integrity of the structures and develop this as a 
heritage site. It is precisely this type of input required to conserve these buildings. 
In my discussion with the heritage resource manager he highlighted that there is 
a need for someone with passion, money and drive to get this off the ground. 
This fellow is doing exactly what the local authorities are loath to do and that is 
take action, do something. He is spending considerable amounts of money on 
something he sees to be of heritage value and obviously doing it with an eye 
towards profit in the long term.   
 
I was enlightened in another interview with a businessman who owns land in the 
old section of Plantation fronting Commissioner Street. (July 2008) He is aware 
of the value of old buildings and owns a fair number of them. However he has 
tried over the last few years to evict squatters who have made South Street, 
parallel to Commissioner Street into an urban slum. The Local Authorities would 
like to get rid of these occupants, but are not prepared to engage in the task. 
Negotiations have been protracted and nothing has prevailed. He has the 
eviction notices and has served them, but still the occupants will not budge. In 
the week of my discussion with him some of these structures will be demolished. 
In terms of their value and referring back to my research, a point has been 
reached that too much damage has occurred to the structures and they posed a 
serious health hazard. The land is worth far more than the building, so there is 
little choice for the owner. One or two he has managed to rescue from total 
destruction, both have links to Herbert Baker (1862 ? 1946), the famous 
architect.   
 
 
 66
     CHAPTER 6 
   
 THE STORY HAS A CONCLUSION 
 
Why the old buildings in Commissioner Street, Boksburg should be 
conserved? 
 
There are numerous parts to the answer required. The first step I followed was 
identifying the structures that fall into the required age category of sixty years and 
older. (Ref - Appendix B:80 ? 81). Having identified them, I undertook a 
preliminary Heritage Impact Assessment. Following this exercise I compiled a list 
and findings and have agreed to give this to the relevant planning authorities for 
inclusion in a Local Heritage building list. This step is the one required to give 
these structures a modicum of protection within the Local Authority. This enables 
a process to be started to legally have the buildings declared and protected 
within the law. Should any one of the owners or developers then want to 
demolish or alter them, they would have to get permission to do so. On 
completion of this research report, a copy will be given to the Boksburg area 81 
planner and it will also be forwarded to PHRA-G, to the Ekurhuleni Heritage 
Manager and to SAHRA. All these bodies and authorities need the list, because it 
has become clear to me as a result of my research, that there is little 
communication between the different levels of responsible heritage authorities. In 
theory there is protection, but in practice very little is undertaken. A case in point 
would be the demolition of buildings adjacent to the research study area in the 
first week of September. See the newspaper article attached in the Appendix 
N:145, at the end of the report. I understand the economics of the decision taken 
and the social impact of what was going on in the buildings prior to their 
demolition, but there were unique features in these structures that are now gone.  
 
One outcome of applied action research is to get things done and suggest viable 
solutions to issues arising from the research. In the case of the buildings lacking 
protection, then the list needs to urgently be given to the relevant authorities. The 
comprehensive list supplied to me by PHRA-G could then be added to should 
they approve of the methods and information supplied. It would partially address 
 67
 the shortage of information that SAHRA has. It would validate and correct the 
omissions on the Ekurhuleni list.  
 
The collaboration between me, as a researcher, and the practitioners would be 
another criteria of action research that would be fulfilled. As a process then, the 
validity of the work completed should allow for the listing to take place and place 
the conservation process on the correct footing.  
 
From the political standpoint, the application of the Spatial Development 
Framework within the requirements of National policy, to the conservation policy 
is constitutionally lawful. The conservation of the buildings does not impact on 
the variety of activities they are presently being used for, as the area is zoned for 
retail and mixed use. These activities can continue within the structures as they 
stand and new uses can also be found for some of the structures and certainly 
for the spaces around them. Educating the owners, not so much the tenants as 
to the heritage, cultural and historical value of these structures is a major task. 
There has been publicity through the Boksburg Historical Association and the 
local newspaper over the recent years. It seems though that unless directly 
affected financially they have little interest. The owners need to understand that 
in the context of planning for this area that ?group value? (Pickard 1996:23) or 
?mainstreeting? (Brand 1994:96) is most important. The idea of a Heritage 
Precinct needs to be sold to the landowners.  A concept of this nature has been 
implemented in the Pretoria CBD. (Building Africa 2007) 
 
The second step has been alluded to it is one of education. As John Ruskin 
pointed out, as was quoted in Daimonstein?s work, ?We may live without her and 
worship without her, but we can never remember without her ? The built 
environment is the most tangible record we possess, the most palpable proof of 
civilizations? continuous evolution?(1978:13). 
 
The owners, developers and the public need to be made aware, through a variety 
of means that ?forms, and materials devised in the past are still valid when 
properly adapted to the functions of today?s? life? (Daimonstein 1978:15).  
 68
 As the New York Landmarks Preservation Commission?s statement point out  
?Creative adaptation provides pride in our heritage, a link with the past, respect 
for the aesthetics and craftsmanship of another time, insights into our 
development, ample creativeness? (Daimonstein 1978:13). 
 
It is therefore imperative that the Local Authorities make an educated stand when 
it comes to planning issues and heritage value. It should become their 
responsibility to inform owners and developers of their responsibility towards the 
structures. However they will have no teeth unless these structures get listed 
quickly at local level. The laws regarding protection of these structures can then 
be legally followed up on and policed. Once education of all parties has taken 
place then it is easier to protect the culture and heritage of the area. As 
mentioned these structures are all that is left of the history of Boksburg. The 
people of the time are long gone and cannot tell their stories. Oral history is an 
important part of modern education but for that time it is too late. The history of 
that era will therefore have to live on, through the structures left.  
 
The public are probably the most ignorant in regard to the value of the structures. 
They are also less likely to be interested as they are not financially affected by 
changes in the structures, even the old ones. The public of Boksburg was invited 
to meetings concerning the future development issues in the CBD. These were 
poorly attended which supports my statement concerning their knowledge. Those 
attending for the most part had vested interests in the area. It is therefore vitally 
important that the good work being done by the BHA continues. They have been 
tireless in their efforts to inform the public about the history of the town, its 
characters, structures the towns? contribution to South African and international 
history and they have a well visited website.  
 
Personally I shall be mailing the PHRA-G documents to the owners of the 
relevant buildings, once they have been listed by the Local Authorities. It should 
have the desired effect in notifying them of their responsibility in this area. In 
conjunction with the BHA I shall be organizing and publicizing heritage walks of 
the area. This would involve all the relevant landowners/tenants on a particular 
 69
 day. In Appendix O:146 - 147, a copy of the most recent BHA newsletter in 
included in support of the conservation efforts they are making the public aware 
of. 
 
The public includes children. It would be simple to provide each school with a 
small portfolio of relevant structures and a brief commentary on each as well as a 
map. This would then extend an interest and create a love for the structures. 
Brand refers to ?loved buildings? (1994:21) in his work, as the old ones. All 
cultures are included in this exercise as they are all tied to the town?s history in 
some way and need to gather information in this regard. All schools have to 
study their local environment and what better way to do this then to get out of the 
classroom and see the structures for themselves. The fields of study that could 
be incorporated are: geography, history, economics, art, design, environmental 
science and life orientation. Concurrently, schools with additional information 
could send information to a central source for inclusion in the portfolio. This 
would mean that a simplified HIA form be sent to them as part of the portfolio. A 
comprehensive list of all structures in Boksburg could be compiled and forward to 
the authorities.  When a particular structure becomes threatened or endangered, 
for whatever reason, the greater input from the community would lead to more 
protection and it would be conserved. 
 
I found that in my research the authorities that should be concerned and should 
have accessible lists are not that efficient. I was quite taken aback with some of 
the interviews and visits I undertook in regard to accessing lists. The most helpful 
group was PHRA-G. The lists drawn up in the past ought to have been passed 
on to the new authorities. It does not appear to be the case and there are huge 
gaps in the different levels. The ?new? South Africa does not mean that we have 
to throw everything useful from the old out. The various reasons given about staff 
shortages, budget constraints, skills shortages and newness of the body seem to 
be excuses for lack of motivation to get the job done. There are various ways of 
achieving an end, as suggested happen through schools in the Boksburg area.  
 
 70
 It was possible to obtain from the local authority the relevant names of owners of 
the buildings in the study. The ground areas of the structures and their municipal 
valuations were also accessed. I only researched the information for buildings 
that have market value and not the institutional structures. The reasoning was 
that they have not changed owners recently and are still essentially being used 
for their original purpose, such as the banks, municipal building, police station 
and churches. The single stands in the area, average 248 m?, double stands 
495m? in size. The majority of structures have higher improvement values than 
the ground value. The municipal valuation places the marketable structures at an 
average of R227000 in the central area and those in the western section they 
average R117000. These figures differ quite a lot from the actual market value. 
However these remain fairly low because of the lack of demand and the falloff in 
turnover mentioned as one of the reasons for the economy of the area declining. 
As a consequence of the low turnover of buildings and the lack of demand, there 
are one or two structures standing vacant. Some of the buildings cannot be sold, 
often because their asking prices are too high and the return for the investment 
will be too low to warrant the expense. These are mentioned in my field research 
reports. 
 
Most of the owners have registered addresses in Boksburg but others are from 
as far as Pretoria. Few of these owners themselves occupy the structures, but 
rent them out. The tenants do not even know who the owners of the buildings 
are. In the cases of owners being active in the buildings, the structures are fairly 
well maintained. In the instances where there are tenants only, the structures 
tend to be poorly maintained.  This is because they have little interest in the 
structures and see no financial benefit to maintaining them and take no 
responsibility. The buildings with residential components tend to be better 
maintained than the retail structures. Should the owners wish to increase the 
value of their properties, they need to lay out some capital. Those buildings with 
upper floors not used for residential purposes need to spend some money in 
order to increase their returns on the investments made. The buildings with 
residential components have the highest municipal valuation and at present they 
have the highest resale or market value. Adaptive re-use under this circumstance 
 71
 would be beneficial to the owners. Something like the Central Hotel could be 
converted permanently and this would enable permanent constant income to be 
received by the owners.  
 
The building called Zeeman?s at the intersection of Trichardt and Commissioner 
Street has a high value in spite of its appearance and low order of goods it is 
selling. This could be attributed to its location and accessibility. It is in an 
outstanding position. In old planning theory and land use valuation systems, this 
would have been at the site called the Peak Land Value Intersection. (PLVI) All 
values of buildings leading away from that point would have decreased gradually 
in value. The principle of this change in value along main roads would be caused 
by demand and availability of land in the central area. This no longer applies to 
Boksburg CBD because of the low demand for space, suburban centres and 
planning within the town.  
 
Should the buildings in Boksburg become officially listed structures and the 
whole precinct be declared a heritage site, the value of the structures would 
increase. It would attract more vehicular and pedestrian traffic, partly due to the 
heritage and cultural value, but also due to the curiosity value. The impact of this 
may encourage tenants to upgrade the nature of the goods they sell, clean up 
the frontages, interiors and curtilages. Though the curtilage maintenance is the 
responsibility of the local authority it is not a priority. At present most of these 
pavements are in poor condition and are quite hazardous to pedestrians. 
 
There is a distinct lack of entertainment activity in the town. Understandably the 
people residing in the town centre are not wealthy, but others from the suburbs 
would use the facilities if provided. The city hall and its parking areas could also 
provide ground for recreational activities. The use of the institutional ground 
could be used without a charge and the rest could charge a nominal fee only to 
recoup monies for their capital outlay. Adaptive re-use could take place in some 
of the structures as suggested. The assembly hall could be changed into a 
games hall or bowling alley. The acoustics are good so the noise could be 
contained. The hours of operation could be restricted to late afternoon and early 
 72
 evening so as not to attract problems. The Masonic Hall land facing 
Commissioner Street is quite extensive and could easily house a skate park, to 
operate during the same hours as the games hall across the road. In the old 
western section the roadhouse which has now opened could provide the same 
facilities or the ground behind the old Magistrates court would be useable. The 
bowling club or the churches could increase their income by operating tea 
gardens on weekends and providing space for croquet and other sedate 
activities. This may draw people back to the area of the CBD and Commissioner 
Street in particular.    
 
The answers to the research question, therefore, are extensive.  In summary, my 
research has shown that the structures are not valuable financially, but are 
valuable from a historic, aesthetic, architectural, urban and cultural point of view. 
They are mostly double or single storey structures that can easily undergo small 
alterations internally to make them multifunctional. The adaptive re-use of these 
structures will enhance their value as a group and individually. They need 
protection from the developers, planners and owners that are unaware of their 
particular importance. This means that they have to be declared as listed 
buildings on the Local Authority level and with Heritage agencies responsible. 
The history of the town is evidenced in these structures and this is not just from a 
eurocentric perspective but for all residents. Each person residing in the town 
usually has had some connection with the town in the past. The people from that 
time are not around but what they planned and constructed then, has stood the 
test of time.  The process of declaring buildings on a heritage list is long and one 
needs patience with the authorities, but it needs to be started before the historical 
records in the form of buildings and structures are lost. 
I refer again to the introductory quotation, which simply answers the research 
question: 
?Heritage influences and shapes the way we live and think as 
individuals, members of a community and citizens of a nation?.  
    Opportunity Magazine (SACOB 2007) 
 
 73
 REFERENCES: 
Austin, Richard L. (1988)  
Adaptive Re-use Issues and Case Studies in Building Preservation.  
Van Nostrand Reinhold Company Inc; 115 Fifth Ave, New York, New York. 
 
Bassett, B. (1979) 
Conservation and Development. A series of lectures delivered at UCT in 1977. 
Centre for Extra-Mural Studies, University of Cape Town in association with the 
National Monuments Council.  
  
Boys, Philip. (1991) Marshall, Barry.(Ed)   
The Real World. 
 Houghton Mifflin Company, Boston, London, Melbourne. 
 
Brand, Stewart. (1994)  
How Buildings Learn. What happens after they?re built.  
Phoenix Illustrated. Orion Books Ltd, Orion House, 5 Upper St Martins Lane, 
London.   
 
Chipkin, Clive M. (1993)  
Johannesburg Style Architecture and Society 1880s ? 1960s. 
David Philip Publishers (Pty) Ltd, 208 Werdmuller Centre, Claremont 7700 Cape 
Town. 
 
Constitutional Assembly. (October, 1996)  
The Constitution of the Republic of South Africa 
 
Cunnington, Pamela. (1988) 
Change of Use.  
Alphabooks Ltd, Sherborne, Dorset; A & C Black (Publishers )Ltd, 35 Bedford 
Row, London. 
 
Diamonstein, Barbaralee. (1978)  
Buildings Reborn, new uses, old places.   
Harper & Row, Publishers, Inc., 10 East 53 rd Street, New York, New York. 
 
Downing, A.J. (1969)  
The Architecture of Country Houses.  
Dover Publications, Inc. 180 Varick Street, New York, New York. 
 
Galloway, Diane & Matthews, Kathy. (1988)  
The Park Cities: A Walkers Guide and Brief History.  
Southern Methodist University Press, Box 415, Dallas, Texas. 
 
Goodall, Harrison. ( 1982)  
Development of a manual for planning and guiding field activities in the 
preservation of historic structures. 
University Microfilms International. Ann Arbor, Michigan U.S.A. 
 74
  
Harrison, Philip., Huchzermeyer, Marie., & Mayekiso, Mzwanele. (2003)  
Confronting Fragmentation: Housing and urban development in a Democratising 
Society.  
University of Cape Town Press, P O Box 24309, Lansdowne, 7779. 
 
Immelman,R.F.M. & Quinn,G.D. (1968) 
The preservation and restoration of historic buildings in South Africa.   
A.A. Balkema, Gothic Printing Company Limited, Cape Town. 
 
Jones, Barry. & Cameron ? Dow, Joy. (1991)  
Landmarks. An exploration of the South African mosaic. 
Premier Book Publishers (Pty) Ltd. P.O.Box 657, Sloane Park, 2152. 
 
Latham, Derek. (2000)  
Creative Re-use of Buildings, Volume 1.  
Donhead Publishing Ltd. Lower Coombe, Donhead St Mary, Shaftsbury, Dorset.  
 
Litchfield, Patrick  (1988) 
Economics in Urban Conservation. 
Cambridge University Press, Cambridge. 
 
Markus, Thomas. A. (1979) 
Building Conversion and Rehabilitation. Designing for Change in Building Use. 
Butterworth & Co (Publishers) Ltd, 88  Kingsway, London, UK. 
Oranje, M 
 
Marshall, B (1991) 
The Real World. 
Houghton Mifflin Company. Boston, London, Melbourne. 
 
Pickard,Robert D. (1996)  
Conservation in the Built Environment. 
Longman Singapore Publishers( Pte) Ltd, Singapore. 
 
Sarantakos, S. (2005) 
Social Research 
Palgrave MacMillan. London 
 
Transvaal Provincial Administration. (1985)  
Pilgrim?s Rest, A Pictorial History.  
Transvaal Provincial Library and Museum Service, Private Bag X288, Pretoria. 
 
Van Wyk, Jeannie. ( 1999)  
Planning Law. Principles and Procedures of Land-use Management. 
Juta & Co, Ltd.P O Box 14373, Kenwyn, 7790. 
 
 
 
 75
  Periodicals: 
Archi ? technology (September 2007)  
Brooke Pattrick Publications(Pty) Ltd. P O Box X40, Rivonia, 2128.  
 
SACOB. (2007)  
Opportunity ? Exploring business prospects in southern Africa.  
F A Print. 
 
Water, Sewage & Effluent. (January 2008, Vol 28 No 1)  
Brooke Pattrick Publications(Pty) Ltd. P O Box X40, Rivonia, 2128.  
 
inTouch ( Issue 3/2007)  
ABB South Africa, Private Bag X37, Sunninghill, 2157. 
 
Progress (2007 )  
Picasso Headline (Pty) Ltd. 105-107 Hatfield Street, Gardens, Cape Town, 8001.  
 
Building Africa. (October 2007) 
Brooke Pattrick Publications(Pty) Ltd. P O Box X40, Rivonia, 2128.  
 
Contract. (August, 2004) Coffey, Daniel P. Adaptive re-use.. Volume 46, Iss.8, 
San Francisco   
 
Contract. ( August 2005) Burnett, Linda. Treading lightly on the masters. Volume 
47, Iss.8, San Francisco   
 
Mechanical Engineering (October ,1998).  Valenti, Michael.   Volume 120, Iss.8, 
New York 
 
SAJAH . (2007) Bakker, Karel, A. South African heritage places: Expanding 
current interpretation and presentation.  Volume 22, Number 2. Pretoria 
 
Websites: 
www.myproperty.co.za/news/1992    27/5/2008 
 
www.joburg.org.za       27/5/2008 
 
www.international.icomos.org                                       13/2/2008 
 
http://ww.archtectmagazine.com    10/10/08 
 
http://www.gyford.com/phil/writing/2004/10/24  3/7/2008 
 
http://www.googleearth     18/12/08 
 
http://ww.heritageSA      10/10/08 
 
http://www.monstersand critics.com/news/Africa  10/10/08 
 
 76
 http://tesugen.com/archives/05/08/notes   3/732008 
 
http://.www.viennadeclaration     20/5/2008 
 
http://www.urbanconservation.com   20/5/2008 
 
http://.www.understandingconservation.org                  12/8/2008 
 
http://www.urbandesigninstitute.co.za   10/10/08 
 
http://www.sahra.org.za     20/5/2008 
 
http://www.sharpcity.co.za/about/projects  10/10/08 
 
 
Interviews: 
 
Chief planner ? Boksburg Area 81   Louise Cremer 
 
Chief Heritage Officer ? EMM.                Mr Vincent Maumela 
 
Members of Boksburg Historical Association    
 
Boksburg residents. 
  
PHRA-G Officials. 
 
Landowner/developer.     Dino (preferred name) 
 
 Landowner/Developer.     Mr Marius Steyn  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 77
 Appendices:  
 
A.      Terminology.     78 - 79 
B. Structures older than 60 years.   80 - 81 
C. Heritage buildings in Boksburg.   82 - 83 
D. Checklist for decision making.   84 
E. Chichester environmental appraisal.  85 
F. Shanghai Impact Analysis.   86 - 87 
G. Belfast Assessment.    88 
H. SAHRA criteria.     89 
I. NHRA Act Extract.    90 
J. PHRA ? G Application document.  91 - 102 
K. Site management plan.    103 - 108 
L. Public input for Boksburg LSDF.   109 
M. Field Research Reports and photographs  110 - 144 
N. Newspaper article.    145 
O. BHA Newsletter.     146 - 147  
P. NHRA Act extract.    148 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 78
  
 
Appendix A. 
Terminology. 
 
Axes The obliged ways through which visitors to the site have to 
pass, such as streets, avenues, squares and stations. 
CBD Central Business District 
Conservation Retention of a building in its present state, for future use. 
Cultural economics Deals with cultural built heritage. It must be inherited and of 
a certain age.  
Culture Refers to an indefinable but recognizable element which 
current society would wish to pass on to posterity. 
Demolition Complete destruction and removal of the environmental 
elements, buildings, trees and other structures. 
Economy The satisfaction of needs covered by the use of resources. 
The well-being of the future will depend on the careful 
utilization, rationally planned and optimally designed use. 
This requires both quantitative and qualitative data.  
ERPM East Rand Propriety Mines 
Fiscal Taxes and rates 
Group of buildings All groups of separate or connected buildings and their 
surroundings?.. which, because of their architecture , their 
homogeneity or their place in the landscape, are of value 
from the historical, artistic, scientific or ethnological point of 
view. 
Heritage site Listed or non-listed place of significance on different levels. 
Heritage value Importance of the place of significance.   
Impact area Limited zone in which significant economic spillovers can 
be detected. 
Landmark Structure that is outstanding within an environment. 
LSDF Local Spatial Development Framework 
Maintenance Continuous restoration 
Monument Includes all structures (together with settings and pertinent 
fixtures and contents) which are of value form the historical, 
artistic, architectural, scientific or ethnological point of view.  
Preservation Action taken to maintain an asset in a stable, existing form 
and stop or slow the process of deterioration and maintain 
the integrity of the place. 
Poles CBH that attracts people and economic activities through its 
attractiveness and economic spillovers, not its architecture 
or artistic value. Generally associated with the tourist 
business.   
Protection Indirect preservation by legislation or prevention of public 
access. 
 
Redevelopment 
An area, together with the structures and land-uses that will 
disappear, which has been identified by authorities, but in 
which it cannot be decided which land uses will be 
 79
 established. 
Rehabilitation The new uses in an area have been decided together with 
the percentages of these and the quality of upgrading 
required. But no decision has been made regarding which 
particular structures are to be rehabilitated.  
Renovation The painting, cleaning and replacement of damaged and/or 
decayed sections and missing components. 
Repair Return to original condition of existing components 
Restoration Return to a condition existing at some previous point in time 
Stock value Relevant old buildings repeatedly transacted on the real 
estate market. This then remains a solid evaluation of the 
willingness to pay for the CBH.  
Translocation Removal of environmental elements to new sites, resulting 
in the loss of evidence and external relationships 
Threshold 
population 
Minimum number of people required to keep an activity 
functioning 
EMM Ekurhuleni Metropolitan Municipality 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 80
  
 
Appendix B.  
Buildings over 60 years of age along Commissioner Street between 
Boksburg Station and Trichardt Road   
 Building/structure Built Owner General 
Condition 
Original Use 
/Changed 
1  City Hall 
  
1924 Local 
authority 
Good OU some only 
2 Cenotaph Relocate  
1965 
Local 
Authority 
Good OU but 
relocated 
3 Zeeman?s  1902 Pvt Fair Retail & 
business but 
Low order 
4  Bank FNB  FNB Good OU 
5  Central hotel 1905 Pvt Good OU but Low 
order 
6  Bank Standard  Standard 
Bank 
Good OU 
7 Corder?s building 
(deVries) 
1910 Pvt Good Retail & admin  
8 Galloways  Pvt Fair Retail & admin  
9  Bezuidenhouts? 
building 
1909 Pvt Good Retail & admin  
10  BK building 1909 Pvt Good Retail & admin  
11 Leggatt?s 1908 Pvt Poor Retail & admin  
12 Cuthbert?s  Pvt Fair Retail & admin  
13 Fishing shop  Pvt Fair Retail  
14 Maroon structure  Pvt Good Retail & resid. 
15 Flats/balcony  Pvt Good Retail & resid 
16 Chester  Pvt Fair Retail & resid 
17 Group 240-242 1905 Pvt Poor Retail  
18 Orange flats 1906 Pvt Fair Low order  
retail & resid 
19 Premier glass  Pvt Good Retail now 
also light 
Industry  
20  Old Assembly 
Hall 
1890 Pvt Poor Opera house 
now tyre shop 
& store  
21  Masonic Hall 1895 Garage Good Meeting and 
function hall, 
now garage 
22  Methodist 
church 
1906 Methodist 
church 
Good OU 
23  Boksburg      
Prison 
 Dept of 
Public wks 
Fair Prison now 
home for 
destitute  
 81
 24  Boksburg Lake , 
bridges, island 
and promenade 
1896 Local Parks 
and 
recreation 
Poor?? Recreational 
area now 
open sewer 
25  Trafalgar caf? 
and annex 
 Pvt Fair OU & service 
26  Anglican church 
Annex 
1911 Anglican 
church 
Fair Distillery & 
Bottling, now 
offices  
27 Christian Science  Church Good Church now 
abandoned 
28 B. Owen Jones 
Chemist 
1904 Pvt Fair Retail & 
residential 
29   Hotel off-sales 1905 Pvt Fair OU 
30  Pope?s building 1904 Pvt Fair Retail & 
residential 
31  Bowling club, 
green and 
gazebos 
 Boksburg 
Bowling 
club 
Good OU 
32  Police station 1920 SAPS 
 
Good OU 
33 Police cottages  SAPS Poor Empty 
34 Railway cottages  SARS Fair OU 
35 Old Mine 
Doctor?sHouse 
 Pvt Good Residential 
now school for 
poor children. 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 82
 Appendix C 
 National Heritage Site in Area 81 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Photograph 5.  Old Post Office (Theatre). July 2008 
 
 
 
Provincial Heritage Sites in Area 81 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Photograph 6. Front of the old Magistrates Court. July 2008 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 83
  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Photograph 7.            St Michaels Anglican Church . July 2008 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
                       N 
 
Map 10 to show the location of the above three sites relative to study precinct.  
 
 
 
 
 
 
Old Magistrates 
Court 
 
 
St Michael?s 
Church 
 
Old Post Office 
 84
 Appendix D: 
 
 
Extract of a checklist for decision-making:     Markus, T.A (1979)     
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 85
  
Appendix E: 
 
 Extract from Chichester Environmental Appraisal Sheet for structures.   www.chichester.co.uk 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Total 
 86
 Appendix F: 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 87
  
 
 
 
 
 
 
  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
         
Extract from a planning document for Shanghai which includes an HIA.  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 88
  
Appendix G : 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Extract from Heritage Assessment in Ireland. 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 89
 Appendix  H: 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Extract of documents pertaining to significance and value of heritage sites.  SAHRA 
 
 90
 Appendix I: 
    
 Extract from NHRA Act document.  
 
 
 
 91
 Appendix J 
 
PROVINCIAL HERITAGE RESOURCES AUTHORITY ? GAUTENG 
(PHRA-G) 
_________________________________________________ 
 
APPLICATION REQUIREMENTS 
________________________________________ 
 
1.  Requirements for PHRAG Permits     2.  Check list 
3.  Explanatory notes       4.  Definitions 
________________________________________________________________________ 
ADD THE PREAMBLE 
 
1.  Requirements for PHRAG permits 
 
The following must be submitted with reference to the proposed destruction, damaging, 
defacement, excavation, alteration, removal from its original position, subdivision or changing of 
the planning status of a provincial heritage site or a provisionally protected place, or the proposed 
alteration or demolition of a structure or part of a structure that is older than 60 years. 
 
Provincial heritage site Provisionally protected 
place 
Structure/any part of a 
structure older than 60 
years 
Completed PHRAG applica-
 tion form (see attached) 
Completed PHRAG applica- 
tion form (see attached) 
Completed PHRAG applica- 
tion form (see attached) 
  A copy of the original building 
plan or a signed note from the 
responsible local authority 
stating that this is not available  
Locality plan showing the 
position of the site in relation 
to its surroundings 
Locality plan showing the 
position of the place in relation 
to its surroundings 
Locality plan showing the 
position of the structure in 
relation to its surroundings 
Site Development Plan in the 
event of any proposed new 
development of the property 
associated with the site 
Site development Plan in the 
event of any proposed new 
development of the property 
associated with the place 
Site Development Plan in the 
event of any proposed NEW 
development of the property 
associated with the structure 
 
Provincial heritage site 
(continued) 
Provisionally protected 
place (continued) 
Structure/any part of a 
structure older than 60 
years (continued) 
  History of the structure: 
includes architectural history 
and previous ownership 
details (all owners). This can 
be obtained at the Deeds 
Office. The PHRAG may 
require additional information. 
Coloured photographs with 
descriptive caption of all 
elevations of the site in its 
present from and context 
Coloured photographs with 
descriptive caption of all 
elevations of the place in its 
present form and context 
Coloured photographs with 
descriptive caption of all 
elevations of the structure in 
its present form and context 
adjacent houses in the area, 
street- scape. (for demolition 
include interior photographs) 
 
 
 92
   In the event of partial or 
complete external alteration or 
demolition, proof of the notice 
calling for comments from 
interested or affected parties. 
(see 3.3) 
In the event of proposed 
alteration/s, three sets of 
drawings, one of which must 
be coloured up to show the 
proposed work / restoration 
details 
In the event of proposed 
alteration/s, three sets of 
drawings, one of which must 
be coloured up to show the 
proposed work / restoration 
details 
In the event of proposed 
alteration or partial demolition, 
three sets of drawings, one of 
which must be coloured up to 
show the proposed work / 
restoration details 
Written comments on the 
subject of the application from 
the Heritage Assets 
Management Section of the 
Department of Public Works 
(PWD), in the case of the site 
being under the control of 
PWD (National)  
Written comments on the 
subject of the application from 
the Heritage Assets 
Management Section of the 
Department of Public Word 
(PWD), in the case of the 
place being under the control 
of PWD (National) 
Written comments on the 
subject of the application from 
the Heritage Assets 
management Section of the 
Department of Public Works 
(PWD), in the case of the 
structure being under the 
control of PWD (National) 
 
If in doubt about the extent of information required, please discuss your intended application with 
the PHRAG Provincial office. 
2. Check list 
 
The information to be submitted as part of a permit application is required both for PHRAG 
records and in order for an application to be successfully considered. Prospective permit 
applicants must therefore ensure that they have all the correct information before proceeding to 
submit their applications. All documents must be bound in an A4 Format and filed in the 
same order as the Checklist. Plans are to be folded to an A4 size and placed at the back of 
your document. Incomplete applications will not be processed! In order to prevent 
unnecessary delays and frustration, it is therefore suggested that you tick the attached 
check list and then submit it together with the rest of the application documents. 
 
3. Explanatory notes 
 
3.1 What are the contact details of the Provincial Heritage Resources Authority- 
 Gauteng? 
 
Mr. G. Botha,  6th floor of the NBS Building at 38 Rissik Street,    (Cnr. Rissik   & 
Market  Street), Johannesburg. Tel. 011 -355 - 2570;  
Fax 011 355 2565/ 2513 
 
Johannesburg offices: Ms. M. Ramphele, Room 639, 6th  floor of the NBS 
building at 38 Rissik Street, (Cnr. Rissik & Market Streets), Johannesburg Tel. 
011- 355 2572; Fax 011 355 2513 
 
 
3.2 What happens if a prospective applicant finds it difficult to determine the age of a 
structure (this refers to the so-called 60 Year Rule)? 
 
In the event of the original building plan of a structure not being available, it will be the 
prospective applicant?s responsibility to then research other potential sources of 
information, such as relevant title deeds, showing information of previous ownership. 
Such information is required in order to develop a statement of the cultural significance of 
the structure in question. 
3.3   Why and how to invite comments from interested or affected parties before 
application is made to demolish a structure / parts of a structure older that 60 
years? 
 93
  
Under the National Heritage Resources Act, 1999 (Act 25 of 1999), all efforts are to be 
made to prevent the destruction of heritage resources that are considered part of the 
country?s national estate. A structure/parts of a structure that are older than 60 years, 
might be culturally significant in view of inter alia, ?its strong or special association with a 
particular community or cultural group for social, cultural or spiritual reasons? (quoted 
from the above Act). It is therefore necessary to provide interested or affected parties 
with an opportunity to comment on any proposed demolition prior to making of an 
application to PHRAG. 
 
A prospective applicant must in this regard and together with the rest of his/her 
application documents, submit to PHRAG clear evidence of a notice ? calling for 
comments with respect to the proposed demolition ? having been published in an 
appropriate local newspaper and a notice to be put up on site. Such a notice must allow 
for a minimum period of 30 days for comments. See example below of such a notice, it is 
important to note that the information shown in this example is the minimum that PHRAG 
would like to see published. 
 
Where a local residents association exists, prospective applicants will be required to also 
show evidence of having gauged the opinion of such a residents association. In rural 
areas, a prospective applicant will be expected to circulate a notice calling for comments 
through other appropriate means e.g. radio, school and churches. 
 
All notices in the above connection must call for written comments to be furnished directly to 
PHRAG 
 
Example of notice: ?The owner, Mr. Jim Brown, (the name of the registered 
owner) plans to demolish the existing structure/s at Happy Street (Erf 212), 
Arcadia, Pretoria. 
Any interested or affected party who wishes to comment on this is invited to do 
so in writing to the Provincial Heritage Resource Authority at Private Bag X33, 
Johannesburg, 2000 / Facsimile ( 011) 355 2565. Closing date for 
comments:??.(30 days from and inclusive of date of publication of notice).? 
 
3.4 Where to submit permit applications? 
 
Applications may be submitted at either of the following addresses: 
 
Mr. G. Botha,  6th floor of the NBS Building at 38 Rissik Street, (Cnr. Rissik & 
Market Street), Johannesburg. Tel. 011 -355 - 2570;  
Fax 011 355 2513 
 
  Ms. M. Ramphele, Room 639, 6th floor of the NBS building at 38 Rissik Street,  
  (Cnr. Rissik & Market Streets), Johannesburg Tel. 011- 355   - 2572;  
Fax 011 355- 2513  
 
3.5 What happens when PHRAG approves a permit application? 
 
In the event of the approval of an application, PHRAG will issue a permit to the applicant. 
The issuing of such a permit will be subject to a general appeal period of 14 days, and 
the permit may be suspended should an appeal against the issuing of the permit be 
received by PHRAG within 14 days from the date of the permit. PHRAG shall not be held 
responsible for any costs or losses incurred in the event of the suspension of retraction of 
such a permit. The appeal against the issuing of a permit will be considered by PHRAG?s 
Appeals Committee within 21 days of the receipt of such an appeal. 
 
The following conditions may often precede or be attached to the issuing of a permit: 
- amendment of drawings; 
- detailed recording of the structure/s to be demolished;  
 94
 - donation of items e.g. doors, window frames, floor boards to PHRAG?s 
restoration materials bank. 
 
3.6 Appeals against decisions by PHRAG pertaining to permit applications 
 
An applicant will have the right to appeal against a decision of PHRAG not to approve 
his/her permit application. An applicant may also lodge an appeal against a decision 
pertaining to the conditional issuing of a permit. Any such appeal must be considered 
within 21 days of PHRAG having been notified in writing of the intention to appeal and 
having been furnished with the ground of such an appeal. 
 
 Heritage Impact Assessments (HIA ?S) 
It is important to note that PHRAG may call for a Heritage Impact Assessment (HIA) 
in the event of a proposed development being categorized as follows and an 
Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) not being required under any other 
legislation: 
 
- the construction of a road, wall, powerline, pipeline, canal or other similar 
form of linear development or barrier exceeding 300m in length; 
- the construction of a bridge or similar structure exceeding 50m in length; 
- any development or other activity which will change the character of a 
site  
- exceeding 5 000 square metres in extent; or  
- involving three or more existing erven or subdivisions 
thereof; or 
- involving three or more erven or divisions thereof which 
have been consolidated within the past five years; or  
- the costs of which will exceed a sum set in terms of 
regulations by PHRAG; 
 
- the re-zoning of a site exceeding 10 000 square metres in extent; or  
- any other category of development provided for in regulations by 
PHRAG. 
 
It is suggested therefore that the PHARG Provincial Office be consulted at the earliest 
possible opportunity in the event of the likelihood of PHRAG calling for an HIA. 
Information pertaining to the following would need to be included in a Heritage Impact 
Assessment Report: 
 
- The identification and mapping of all heritage resources in the area 
affected; 
- an assessment of the significance of such resources?; 
- n assessment of the impact of the development on such  heritage 
resources; 
- an evaluation of the impact of the development on heritage resources 
relative to the sustainable social and economic benefits to be derived 
from the development;  
- the results of consultation with communities affected by the proposed 
development and other interested parties regarding the impact of the 
development on heritage resources;  
- if heritage resources will be adversely affected by the proposed 
development, the consideration of alternatives;  
- plans for mitigation of any adverse effects during and after the 
completion of the proposed development. 
 
 For further information, kindly contact: 
 
Johannesburg  Offices: Mr. Grant Botha, 6th floor of the NBS building at  38 
Rissik Street, (Cnr. of Rissik & Market Streets), Johannesburg. 
 95
 Tel. 011- 355 2570;  
Fax 011 355 2565  
 
 
Johannesburg offices: Ms. M. Ramphele, Room 639, 6th floor of the NBS 
building at 38 Rissik Street, (Cnr. of Rissik & Market Streets), Johannesburg. 
Tel. 011- 355 2572;  
Fax 011 355 2513  
 
Any comments with respect to the above-mentioned permit application requirements would be 
welcome. Such comments should likewise be forwarded to PHRAG?S Provincial Office. 
 
__________________________________________ 
 
4. Definitions 
 
Alter means ?any action affecting the structure, appearance or physical properties of a place or 
object, whether by way of structural or other works, by painting, plastering or other decoration or 
any other means? 
 
Cultural  significance means ?aesthetic, architectural, historical, scientific, social, spiritual, 
linguistic or technological value or significance? 
 
Heritage   resource means ?any place or object of cultural significance? 
 
Provincial heritage site means a place declared to be a provincial heritage site in terms of 
section 27 of the National Heritage Resources Act of 1999 (such sites were previously known as 
national monuments)  
 
Provisionally protected place means a place protected under section 29 of the National 
Heritage Resources Act of 1999 (such places include former provisionally declared monuments)   
 
Structure means ?any building, works, device or other facility made by people and which is fixed 
to land, and includes any fixtures, fittings and equipment associated therewith?.   
 
CHECK LIST FOR APPLICATIONS FOR ALTERATIONS AND DEMOLITIONS.   
? All documents must be bound in an A4 Format and filed in the same order as 
this Checklist.  
? Plans are to be folded to an A4 size and placed at the back of your document. 
? Complete this checklist as comprehensively and attach it to your application. 
? Incomplete applications will not be processed! In order to prevent 
unnecessary delays and frustration, it is therefore suggested that you tick the 
attached check list and then submit it together with the rest of the application 
documents. 
 
i) COMPLETED APPLICATION FORM (301) 
 
 
ii) 2  SETS OF DRAWINGS (One approved and stamped set will be returned to the 
applicant.) 
 
iii) 1 SET OF COLOURED-IN DRAWINGS 
 
 
CLEAR COLOUR PHOTOGRAPHS: - (Labelled elevations and Context.)  iv) 
STREET ELEVATIONS OF NEIGHBOURING PROPERTIES: - (Labelled elevations 
and Context.) 
 
 96
 v) COPY OF ORIGINAL BUILDING PLAN. 
(If the Local Authority does not have the original plans, then an official letter from the 
Local Authority, stating that no plans are available, will be required.) 
 
vi) LOCALITY PLAN  
(Copy of page from a map book.) 
 
vii) 
 
SITE DEVELOPMENT PLAN (SDP)  
viii) 
 
HISTORICAL BACKGROUND INFORMATION,  
OWNERSHIP & ARCHITECTURAL. 
 
 
ix) COMMENTS ? STATE-OWNED PROPERTY (NATIONAL) 
 
 
x) PROOF OF INVITATION FOR COMMENTS FROM INTERESTED / AFFECTED 
PARTIES. (All Total Demolitions & All State-owned building.) 
 
 
? Please note that processing time may be four to six weeks.  
?  
Application Form 301 
 
 
OFFICIAL USE ONLY: 
 
PHRAG Ref: ???????????. 
 
Date receive: ???????????. 
 
Application No: ?????????? 
 
Application approved: ???????. 
 
Not approved: ??????????. 
 
Date of permit notification: ????? 
 
 
APPLICATION 
To destroy, damage, deface, excavate, alter, remove from its original position, subdivide or 
change the planning status of a Provincial Heritage Site or a Provisionally Protected Place, 
or to alter or demolish a Structure 60 years old or more, as protected in terms of the National 
Heritage Resources Act (Act No> 25 of 1999). 
 
PLEASE FILL IN ALL SECTIONS RELATING TO YOUR APPLICATION. 
 
1. APPLICANT 
 
Name: ????????????????????????????????????. 
 
Address: ???????????????????????????????????. 
 
???????????????????????????????????????. 
 
Post Code: ????????? Telephone: ?????????. Fax: ????????? 
 
Identity Number: ?????????????????? e-mail: ??????????.. 
 
 
2. OWNER OF PROPERTY (when this is not the applicant) 
 
Name: ????????????????????????????????????. 
 97
  
Address: ???????????????????????????????????. 
 
???????????????????????????????????????. 
 
Post Code: ????????.. Telephone: ?????????? Fax: ????????... 
 
Identity Number: ?????????????????? e-mail: ??????????.. 
 
Signature: ??????????????????????.. Date: ?????????.. 
 
 
3. SITE  indicate  by means of a cross in the appropriate space(s) below: 
 
o Provincial Heritage Site (previously a National Monument) Gazette No: ????? 
o Provisionally Protected Place 
o Structure older than 60 years 
o Situated Within a Heritage Area  (previously Conservation Area) 
 
Current use: ?????????????????????????????????? 
 
Proposed Use: ????????????????????????????????? 
 
Name of Property: ???????????????????????????????. 
 
Address: ???????????????????????????????????. 
 
Erf /Stand/Farm no: ??????????????????????????????? 
 
Magisterial District: ??????????????????????????????... 
 
Address of Local Authority: ???????????????????????????.. 
 
 
4. NAME AND ADDRESS OF PRIMARY RESPONSIBLE AGENT (Architect, Designer, etc.) 
 
Name: ????????????????????????????????? 
 
Qualification: ?????????????????????????????? 
 
Company: ???????????????????????????????. 
 
Address: ???????????????????????????????? 
 
Post Code: ?? Telephone: ??????.. Fax: ?????? e-mail??????... 
 
 
5. PROPOSED WORK (indicate by means of a cross in the appropriate space(s) below): 
 
? Total Demolition  ? Alteration   ? Subdivision 
 
? Partial Demolition  ? Restoration   ? Rezoning 
 
? Excavation   ? Landscaping   ? Departure 
 
Other: ????????????????????????????????? 
 
 
 
 98
 Drawing Reference Numbers and their Dates: 
 
 ????????????????????????????????? 
 
 ????????????????????????????????? 
 
 ????????????????????????????????? 
 
Detail the manner in which the proposed work is carried out: 
 
 ????????????????????????????????? 
 
 ????????????????????????????????? 
 
 ????????????????????????????????? 
 
 ????????????????????????????????? 
 
 ????????????????????????????????? 
 
 ????????????????????????????????? 
 
 ????????????????????????????????? 
 
Motivation For Proposed Work (please motivate fully, with reference to conservation principles 
where appropriate. This space may be used for additional details required above) 
 
 ???????????????????????????????????? 
 
 ???????????????????????????????????? 
 
 ???????????????????????????????????? 
 
Approximate value of proposed work: R 
Old buildings require special treatment in terms of specifications, techniques and 
planning of alterations: 
 
 
 
What experience does the Primary Agent have in working with historical sites? 
 
???????????????????????????????????? 
 
What experience does the contractor working on the site have in working with historical sites? 
 
???????????????????????????????????????. 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 99
 6. APPLICANT 
 
I,  ??????????????????????????????????? 
Undertake fully to observe the terms, conditions, restrictions, regulations, guidelines and 
directions under which the Provincial Heritage Resources Agency - Gauteng may issue the permit 
to me. 
 
Signature: ???????????????????????????????.. 
 
Place: ????????????.  Date: ???????????????. 
 
ITEMS TO ACCOMPANY THIS FORM: 
 
? THREE SETS OF DRAWINGS, ONE OF WHICH MUST BE COLOURED-UP 
? PHOTOGRAPHS OF STRUCTURES IN THEIR PRESENT FORM AND IN CONTEXT 
? ANY OTHER INFORMATION REQUESTED BY PHRAG 
 
 
PLEASE NOTE: 
 
*  UNLESS THIS FORM IS SIGNED IT WILL NOT BE PROCESSED 
 
* IT IS AN OFFENCE IN TERMS OF THE NATIONAL HERITAGE RESOURCES ACT TO 
MAKE ANY FALSE STATEMENT OR REPRESENTATION IN THIS APPLICATION
 100
  
GUIDELINES FOR THE PREPARATION OF PLANS 
COMMITTEE SUBMISSIONS 
 
 
INFORMATION 
 
It is important to submit sufficient information to clearly describe the property and your proposals. 
To avoid delay in the consideration of your application please make sure that submission is 
complete. 
 
The information required may vary according to the extent of your proposals. For example, if the 
proposal is very minor, the completed application form and photographs of the affected area my 
be sufficient, For a major structural alteration or addition to a national monument, however, 
historical and architectural reports and a full set of plans, sections, elevations and details may be 
required, please discuss your proposals with the PHRAG?s Office. (see page 8) 
 
Please note that the information submitted is required for PHRAG records. Two approved and 
stamped sets of plans will be returned to the applicant. 
 
PLANS 
 
Plans (see no. 1-3 and 8 below) must be copies of the original, and must be submitted in 
triplicate. All sets must be coloured in accordance with the instructions below, and signed in ink 
by the owner and the architect or designer and dated. One set will be kept by the PHRAG. 
 
Plans should not be smaller than A4 size (210 x 297 mm) and should preferably not be larger that 
A0 size (841 x 1 189mm) 
 
1. SITE PLAN 
 
The site plan may be drawn at 1: 000, 1:500, 1:200 or 1:100 scale, and the scale must be clearly 
stated on the plan.  The site plan must be drawn in accordance with the approved surveyor?s 
diagram of the site and must show ?  
 
? the north point 
 
? the location of the site and any structures on it in relation to  
surrounding roads, buildings and other features 
 
? Existing building, structures, and pools on the site (coloured grey or uncoloured), 
proposed work (coloured red) and buildings or portions of building which it is proposed to 
demolish (in dotted lines) 
 
? The erf/property/farm number of the site 
 
? The extent of the declared area (in the case of a national monument) 
 
2. FLOOR PLANS, ELEVATIONS AND SECTIONS 
 
Sufficient plans, sections and elevations must be submitted to show the proposed work clearly. 
These drawings should be at 1:100, 1:50 or 1:20 scale, and must be fully dimensioned. 
 
The position of section lines must be indicated on the plan. 
 
The elevations should accurately reflect the effect of the proposal on the structure and its 
relationship to adjacent buildings. 
 101
 All new materials, including finishes, must be specified. Drawings should be coloured as follows: 
 
MATERIALS    COLOUR 
all existing ?????????.. .......grey 
demolition ???????????...dotted lines 
new masonry ??????????.. red 
new concrete ??????????.. green 
new iron or steel ?????????. blue 
new wood ????????????brown 
other ????????????.......clearly indicated using colours other than those above 
 
3. SCALE PLAN OF EXISTING STRUCTURE(S) 
 
If it is impossible to distinguish the existing layout from the plans submitted, a measured floor plan 
of the structure as it exists is required. It should preferably be at the same scale as the plans of 
the proposed work to facilitate comparison. 
 
4. PHOTOGRAPHS OF EXISTING STRUCTURE(S) AND SURROUNDINGS 
 
Sufficient photographs (colour or black and white) must be submitted to clearly illustrate the 
features of the affected building which are relevant to the application. Photographs showing all 
the elevations, which will be affected by the proposed work, as well as a general view showing 
the building in its context, must be provided. 
 
Photographs should preferably be mounted with photo corners on A4 sheets, and be keyed 
(indicating position and direction of view) to a suitable copy of the plan. Photographs not mounted 
are to be place in an envelope.  They will be kept and entered into the NMC?s photographic 
database. 
 
5. HISTORICAL REPORT 
 
When the building or site is of historical importance, a brief history of the occupation of the site 
and the phases of construction, as well as an assessment of historical significance is necessary. 
Consult the NMC?s Regional Manger if you are in doubt about the amount of information required. 
 
6. ARCHITECTURAL REPORT 
 
An assessment of the condition of the building should usually be given. When require, provided 
an analysis of the styles and phases of construction of the building, include g alterations and 
additions and a statement of its architectural significance. 
 
7. DOOR AND WINDOW SCHEDULES AND DETAILS 
 
Proposals for changing or replacing doors or windows must include sufficient information about 
their size, proportion and detail. This may be in the form of manufacturer?s information (for stock 
windows and doors) or joinery details (for specials). If shutters are to be changed or added, this 
information should be included. 
 
8. SURVEYOR?S DIAGRAM 
 
A land surveyor?s diagram is required for any application to subdivide a national monument. All 
copies must be signed by a registered land surveyor. 
 
9. ARCHAEOLOGICAL REPORT 
 
If the development is likely to disturb buried features and artefacts of historical, archaeological or 
palaeontological interest, a professional archaeologist must be hired to do an impact assessment 
 102
 and a written report must be submitted to the NMC. See the NMC publication ?Archaeology for 
Planners, Developers and Local Authorities? for details. 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 103
 Appendix K: 
 
 
 104
  
 105
  
 
 106
  
 
 
 
 107
  
 
 
 
 
 108
  
 
 109
 Appendix L: 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Extract of public participation in planning issues in Boksburg CBD. 
 
 
 
 
 110
 Appendix M: 
FIELDWORK RESEARCH REPORTS: 
Venue1:                                                                                          Town Hall             
Observation 
category 
Historic value  Aesthetic value Social value 
Site Intersection of main through roads. The 
land was the original market.    
Very imposing structure. 
Accessible to all residents 
using public and private 
transport.   
Important as meeting place 
for civic and service related 
activities. 
Structure Classic frontage with ionic columns 
aside the large wooden doors set back 
on the land. Internal division into offices 
on one side for administration and north 
side a hall for functions. Flooring sprung 
and parquet tiles. Black & white tiles at 
entrance and steps. Staircase steep 
and pressed ceilings.  
Good sound building with 
many windows.  Colour of 
structure makes it rather 
garish and out of keeping 
with its function and history. 
(Pink and green, next to the 
dark red brick.) Roof is 
tiled  
Internally altered to meet 
user requirements, so the 
rooms have been made 
smaller. Commemorative 
plaques still in place in 
some areas. 
Skin Red face-brick and plaster. Easy to maintain. Still 
looking good except for 
colour. 
Pictures of the civic officials 
that served on councils in 
the past have been 
removed. (basement) 
User functions Always been institutional but civic. Now 
used by NGO activity as well.  
Changed over time to 
include other functions so 
no longer as important to 
the town.  
Still has some value to the 
people of the town although 
not as important as before. 
Intangible 
feeling & spirit 
Still proud but needs cleaning  Can be good but quite sad 
as it houses various welfare 
offices.  
Only visit if need arises. 
Conserve the:          Whole structure 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 111
   
Venue 2:                                                                                         Cenotaph 
Observation 
category 
Historic value  Aesthetic value Social value 
Site Located adjacent to the town hall on the 
old market ground. Commemorates those 
residents of the town that lost their lives in 
the two world wars. 
Quite imposing and has a 
nice setting on lawn 
surrounded by roses. 
Entrance only from south 
side. 
Was important for families 
who did not get remains of 
loved ones back.  
Little value now because of 
its location and meaning in 
the new SA. 
Structure Cement and granite in plinth. Engraved. 
Nest to it are two small canons. 
At this point still in tact. Important in social history of 
the country. 
Skin Still in tact although canons rusting. As above Engravings are weathering 
and need to be conserved 
for families. 
User 
functions 
Only used on Armistice Day.  Often littered and vagrants 
leave all sorts of things 
around it. Lawn is now full 
of weeds.  
Vagrants use it as a meeting 
place and to sit on and 
around. 
Intangible 
feeling & 
spirit 
Needs to be looked after or moved or 
added to, as it is only relevant to whites 
that were in the town. Records of other 
races not included.  
Has value in terms of its 
somber appearance. 
Sad place and more so 
because of its deteriorating 
condition.  
Conserve the:         Whole structure 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 112
  
 
Venue 3:                                                                                         Zeemans 1902      
Observation 
category 
Historic value  Aesthetic value Social value 
Site Located at the intersection of the main 
access routes. Next to the old market 
square.  
Regal structure with great 
location in present town 
centre. 
Has a perfect location and 
is accessible to many. 
Always busy. 
Structure Double storey with business premises 
upstairs. 
The upper section is still 
quite attractive. Lower level 
decayed and in poor repair. 
Functional at street level. 
Upper floors not easy to 
access and so not well 
used. 
Skin Painted and plastered. Old iron work 
gone. 
Only the upper floor is able 
to be conserved, the rest is 
badly weathered. 
The frontage is dark and 
poor, but still attracts 
customers. 
User functions Caf? to bottle store to low order goods. Not attractive Low order goods serving 
poorer public. 
Intangible 
feeling & spirit 
Not pleasant because of its condition Dirty  Friendly to a certain group 
of the community. 
Conserve the:  Upper floor and fa?ade. 
 
 
  
   
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 113
 Venue 4:                                                                                            FNB 
Observation category Historic value  Aesthetic value Social value 
Site Located opposite civic 
building and near main road 
intersection in CBD. 
Open access from main 
and side road. Parking 
available for short stops. 
As a finance centre it is 
used daily by many people 
who work in the town 
centre. 
Structure Large building with 
imposing pillars. Was a 
double volume inside but 
altered. 
Pillars are Corinthian in 
design and attractive. 
Service facility so very 
functional 
Skin Brick and cement with stair-
 cased entrance. 
Easy to maintain and pillars 
set back above entrance 
and what would have been 
mezzanine level. 
Easy to maintain exterior. 
Internally well looked after. 
People only there for short 
periods. 
User functions Always a finance facility Functional although low 
ceiling and quite dark. 
Offices and space small 
and cramped. 
Useful as banking area, not 
as hall. 
Intangible feeling & spirit More pleasant to use in the 
past. 
Cramped interior Business transactions only 
Conserve the:    Whole structure because of its appearance and function. 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 114
 Venue 5:                                                                                           Central Hotel 
Observation category Historic value  Aesthetic value Social value 
Site Located opposite the town 
hall. Accessible and quite 
attractive in its day  
Lovely view northwards in 
early years.  
Was important in the early 
years for visitors and civic 
officials. Pleasant diversion 
close to offices. 
Structure Double storey with large 
balcony on north facing 
side. Internally many nooks 
and passages and internal 
balcony access. Subdivided 
by dry walling into rooms 
after extensive fire. Steep 
and narrow staircase. 
Was sound and exterior still 
is quite solid.  
Ugly interior with dark 
rooms on the ground floor 
used as pool room and pub.  
Now only functions as a 
hotel for quick visits and 
drinking venue for lower 
income people. 
Skin Plaster and tin roof. Painted 
bright yellow.  
Poorly maintained in the 
interior. Dirty and an awful 
colour for a building. 
Sound would carry carries 
through the walls and it is 
noisy. 
User functions Was always a hotel, 
became residential type 
and then changed into a 
brothel type.  
Only one use now as a pub 
and for illicit activities.   
Has value for users and 
street walkers. 
Intangible feeling & spirit Dirty, unkept and really 
unpleasant although secure 
at entrance. 
Not pleasant and cheap 
and nasty.  
Unpleasant 
Conserve the:                       Only the fa?ade. 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 115
 Venue 6:                                                                                         Standard Bank 
Observation category Historic value  Aesthetic value Social value 
Site Located at edge of main 
section of CBD on access 
routes. Parking available.  
Quite a severe looking 
building. Square and 
windowless. 
As a finance centre it is 
used daily by many people 
who work in the town 
centre. 
Structure Internally modified from 
large hall with double 
volume space to low ceiling 
and offices.  
Fairly cramped and dark 
due to alterations.  
Service facility so very 
functional 
Skin Mix of plaster, concrete and 
stone. Metal as security 
doors. 
Interesting moulds of protea 
flowers on exterior walls 
and artwork on metal doors. 
Cladding also granite on 
lower sections. Not original.  
Easy to maintain exterior. 
Internally well looked after. 
People only there for short 
periods. 
User functions Always a service centre for 
finance.  
Finance centre ? austere.  Useful as banking area, not 
as hall. 
Intangible feeling & spirit Strict and functional It works although not well 
when crowded. 
Business transactions only 
Conserve the:        Whole building because of its location and functions 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 116
 Venue 7:                                                                                      Corder?s Building 
Observation category Historic value  Aesthetic value Social value 
Site Corner  site. Long building 
down the main street. Doric 
pillars on cartilage.  
Unusual fa?ade. Very large 
building extending along 
two streets.  
Very accessible to 
community. Has had a 
history of use by upper 
income group which has 
now relocated and it is used 
by poorer residents in the 
area. 
Structure Double storey. Upper floor 
in good condition. Used by 
attorneys. Original entrance 
and stairwell banisters in 
tact.          
Good sound structure. 
Building on upper floor is 
maintained. Ground floor 
needs repair and cleaning. 
Most ceilings still sound. 
Upper floors have been 
used for legal and 
administrative purposes. 
Lower always retail and it is 
designed for those 
purposes. 
Skin Plaster and paint.  Overall condition good 
except ground floor and 
pavement. 
Sound and shop windows 
advertise goods on sale. 
User functions Offices above retail. Ground 
floor becoming damaged 
and blighted. 
Retail but low order goods 
at ground level. 
Multifunctional. 
Intangible feeling & spirit Lovely looking building that 
needs repair. 
Can be fixed easily.  Lively and serving all 
visitors. 
Conserve the:         Whole structure. 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 117
 Venue 8:                                                              Galloway structure                               
Observation category Historic value  Aesthetic value Social value 
Site Main road Set of shops all together as 
one building. 
Accessible to all along the 
main road. 
Structure Plaster with metal pillars. 
Glass and wood window 
fittings. Mirrors at entrance 
with tiles flooring. Small 
frontages. Original doors. 
Units have separate doors 
and entrances. Interior 
some ceilings have been 
changed but others are of 
the pressed type. 
Frontages allowed 
advertising and access. 
Skin Wood, iron, glass, metal. The exterior of all of these 
are in tact and the original 
woodwork is in good 
condition. 
Interiors visible to passers-
 by. 
User functions Retail Retail Retail and admin services. 
Intangible feeling & spirit Really proud retail history. Still used and functional I?m old but I work! 
Conserve the: Whole set, as frontages are unique & what was fashionable at the time. 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 118
 Venue 9:                                                                              Bezuidenhouts  1909 
Observation category Historic value  Aesthetic value Social value 
Site Corner therefore access 
along two roads.  
Corner and very accessible. Accessible to users of 
different functions.  
Structure Plaster, red brick upper 
floor, Subdivided internally. 
unique.  
Entrance to upper floor has 
original green small wall 
tiles, mirror doorway, tiles 
on the floor and wooden 
door and balustrade. Pillars 
on the pavement are 
Corinthian in design. The 
upper fa?ade is very ornate. 
Windows set in brick 
arches. Unusual rounded 
glass on shop front. Quite 
unique and no longer made. 
2 still in tact.  
Upstairs quite formal and 
owners have tried to keep 
ethos of building.  
Skin Mix of brick, plaster, wood 
and glass. 
Lovely and very ornate. 
Difficult to maintain. 
Being adequately 
maintained. 
User functions Retail and administration 
upstairs. 
Functional upstairs but very 
mixed on ground level. 
Mixed use so different types 
of people use it. 
Intangible feeling & spirit Quite sad feel Lovely but overdone. Not that friendly by nature 
of its activities. 
Conserve the:               Whole structure for its unique features 
  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 119
 Venue 10:                                                                                          BK 
Observation category Historic value  Aesthetic value Social value 
Site Small frontage along the 
main road. Double storey. 
Frontage very ornate. Ionic 
columns on pavement. It 
has fancy air vents and 
chimneys in tact. 
Has some value as meeting 
place and home. 
Structure Ornate frontage includes 
doorway and entrance. 
Pressed ceilings. 
Lovely old structure but 
overdone sculptings and 
pillars 
Functional and accessible. 
Skin Plaster and sash windows. Was brick but has been 
painted. Colours darken the 
structure 
Dark and somber but does 
not show ageing. 
User functions Retail below with residential 
on upper floor. 
Retail and residential, 
serviceable.   
Mixed 
Intangible feeling & spirit Heavy feel Very overdone in 
appearance. 
Dark and heavy, not 
welcoming. 
Conserve the:                       Whole structure for its uniqueness 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 120
  
Venue 11:                                                                                             1908 
Observation category Historic value  Aesthetic value Social value 
Site Along main road  Pillars alone are attractive 
and encourage one to stop. 
Along the road. Light enters 
the street from behind it 
because it is single storey.  
Structure Single storey, glass, wood 
and plaster. 
Unique in its appearance in 
the street as it is one floor 
only and has lost the 
covered section of the 
pavement. 
Open approach makes it 
friendly. 
Skin Plastered and painted with 
very interesting metal 
columns on the pavement. 
Single storey, glass, wood 
and plaster.  
Needs some repair and for 
the pillars to be conserved. 
User functions Retail Retail but lower order 
goods. 
Always retail and a meeting 
place for all sorts of people. 
Intangible feeling & spirit Attractive to visit Inviting and friendly Friendly if a little blighted. 
Conserve the:               Frontage 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 121
 Venue 12:                                                                                     Cuthberts.       
Observation category Historic value  Aesthetic value Social value 
Site Corner of a main road and 
an access road. 
Good example of art deco.  Access good, so many 
people use it. 
Structure Double storey, Large 
building extended along two 
roads. Cape Dutch fa?ade 
with windows jutting out of 
the building. 
Sound and in good 
condition. Always looks 
good 
Visible from many parts of 
the block.  
Attractive to visit. 
Skin Plaster and glass. Granite 
cladding along sides at 
bottom. 
Well maintained except in 
shops on ground floor. 
Easy to maintain and keep 
visitors going there. 
User functions Retail and still is but low 
order. 
Retail and admin on upper 
floor. 
Mixed so all types of people 
come to the place. 
Intangible feeling & spirit Okay to visit, not exciting. Has little spirit in terms of 
appearance. 
Useful not friendly 
Conserve the:                 Whole structure for its architectural style. 
 
  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
  
 122
 Venue 13:                                                                         Fishing shop                               
Observation category Historic value  Aesthetic value Social value 
Site Corner along the main road Unusual roof and visiblilty Certain clientele will access 
this place. 
Structure Very steep pitch roof with a 
fancy extra steep tower 
type section above door. 
Basement.  
Roof and glass bricks 
(Made in London by 
Hayward Brothers; Union 
Str) on pavement make it 
unique. Metal pillars on 
pavement as well. 
Double storey and 
basement makes for 
storage of stock. 
Skin Been changed in the last 3 
months. 
Wood and glass. Now 
cladding of stone. Very 
interesting glass bricks on 
pavement to light basement 
and air grills. 
Some original material lost 
in refurbishment. 
No longer as neat as it was, 
but modern and attractive to 
clients.  
User functions Retail Retail continues Fishing retail 
Intangible feeling & spirit Serviceable Outside appearance 
friendly 
Interesting place to visit. 
Conserve the:                    Pavement glass brickwork, pillars and roof.  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 123
 Venue 14:                                                                                  Opposite BK           
Observation category Historic value  Aesthetic value Social value 
Site Along main road Unusual gables and lovely 
windows.  
Retail, so only those 
needing things go there. 
Structure Brickwork which has been 
painted. 
Steep roof. Arched 
windows. Doric pavement 
pillars. Gables 
Arched windows still in tact. 
Very ornate gables. 
Windows upstairs painted 
closed. 
Can be useful but fairly 
quiet. 
Skin Painted brick. Paint and windows at 
ground level. 
Not that attractive and 
inviting. 
User functions Retail and storage   White painted windows 
detract from the 
appearance. 
Retail so only for that. 
Intangible feeling & spirit Heavy feeling;  
Unwelcoming. 
Why maroon and green?  Not a friendly place. 
Conserve the:             Structure  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 124
  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Venue 15:                                                                          Flats                  
Observation category Historic value  Aesthetic value Social value 
Site Access and near facilities. Near other old buildings 
and facilities.  
Place to call home that 
looks reasonable. 
Structure Double storey. Large 
shared balcony. Curved 
windows. Doric columns on 
pavement. Pressed 
ceilings.  
Looks good still although 
ground floor needs repair. 
Easy to access and user 
friendly. 
Skin Plaster and paint. Open and light Easy to access 
User functions Residential and retail. Functional Functional 
Intangible feeling & spirit Happy and busy. Nice structure to live in. Friendly 
Conserve the:           Whole structure but fix ground floor frontage. 
 
 125
 Venue 16:                                                                          Chester court                  
Observation category Historic value  Aesthetic value Social value 
Site On main road. Retail on 
ground floor and residential 
upstairs. 
Along main road and 
attractive to live in. 
Along the road it is used by 
locals and residents. 
Structure Double storey. Wooden 
doors at entrance. 
Accessible and functional. 
Entrance is wide and light. 
Pressed ceilings; 
Functional and accessible. 
Skin Plaster walls. Main 
entrance has marble and 
granite floor tiles. Terraza 
steps inside. Frontages are 
glass and wood in some 
places;  
Entrance is unusual and not 
much has been changed. 
Easy to maintain, but 
ground floor frontages need 
upgrading and cleaning. 
User functions Mixed Mixed Mixed and used well. 
Intangible feeling & spirit    
Conserve the:                   Whole structure, especially the entrance and doors. 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 126
 Venue 17:                                                                      240 ? 242 Commissioner     
Observation category Historic value  Aesthetic value Social value 
Site Retail along the main road. 
Set of buildings. Internally 
divided.  
Unusual entrances. 
Frontages still largely in tact 
and are a good example of 
retail shop groups. 
Retail service to lower 
income earners. That type 
of patron will visit. 
Structure Glass and wood frontages. 
Entrances glass, mirrors, 
mosaic floors and wooden 
doors and brass handles. 
Metal pillars and sunshades 
on pavement unique. 
Still in tact except for the 
inner ceilings. They are not 
in good repair. 
Pillars cannot be identified 
as to maker but they are 
made in Natal and are 
forged.  
Material inside visible so 
easy sales.  
Skin Hard to maintain Run down but can be 
repaired. 
Run down 
User functions Retail Retail but low order goods.  Retail 
Intangible feeling & spirit Not proud, very run down  Worth keeping as 
examples. 
Need to be rescued from 
destruction. Help! 
Conserve the:                     Whole set ? unique and mostly in tact externally. 
 
       
   
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 127
  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Venue 18:                                                                                 Orange & green 
Observation category Historic value  Aesthetic value Social value 
Site Along main road. Retail and 
residential 
Unusual windows and 
plaster work on upper 
fa?ade. 
Accessible and near busy 
intersection. 
Structure Double storey. Wooden 
sash windows in curved 
arches.  
Internal changes have 
taken place and it has lost 
some appeal. 
Internal alterations have 
affected its usefulness. 
Skin Plaster and wood and 
glass. 
Plaster and paint upper 
area, Glass at street level. 
Attractive in terms of colour 
but insufficient to attract 
people. 
User functions Retail  Retail Retail only. 
Intangible feeling & spirit Severe structure Different appearance in 
terms of the rest of the 
area. 
Leave me alone, it seems 
to say. 
Conserve the:                        Facade 
 
 
             
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
    
 
   
 
 
 
 
 
 128
 Venue 19:                                                                                 Original bank now  Premier Glass                                    
Observation category Historic value  Aesthetic value Social value 
Site Corner along the main road. Quite an imposing structure 
with heavy pillars on street 
level. 
Very accessible to users. 
Structure Double storey with balcony 
surrounding facing street. 
Heavy and large building. 
Many internal alterations. 
Functional but cramped on 
ground floor. 
Skin Plaster and glass. 
Sash windows and ornate 
gable. 
Painted plaster and dark 
colours. Unusual gables, 
balcony and sash windows. 
Not attractive 
User functions Retail and residential then, 
now admin and retail 
Mixed retail and admin of 
company. 
Functional 
Intangible feeling & spirit Functional structure. Not welcoming Not friendly 
Conserve the:                      Whole structure for it is unique and in good condition. 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 129
 Venue 20:                                                                                        Assembly Hall 
Observation category Historic value  Aesthetic value Social value 
Site Located near the lake and 
walking distance of old 
hotels.  Was the meeting 
place for the high society of 
the time. 
Was a lovely place and 
some- what imposing in the 
area.  
 
 
History of the townsfolk 
here. 
Structure Plaster outer walls. Sprung 
floor at the time. Gallery 
and wooden ceiling and 
sash windows and air 
vents, with finials.   
Large venue with the most 
amazing acoustics. Huge 
windows and very high 
ceiling. 
Meeting place of immense 
value to the town. 
Skin Plaster and wood Undergoing major internal 
changes. 
Can be fixed, if the owner 
cares to do it. 
User functions Changed often and owner 
making a mess inside. 
Making a mess of it. Using 
as tyre and wheel place. 
Physical and functional 
blight. 
Intangible feeling & spirit Proud but no longer. Needs to be rescued. Great loss 
Conserve the:                      Things left if possible for their historical value. 
           
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 130
 Venue 21:                                                                                           Masonic Hall 
Observation category Historic value  Aesthetic value Social value 
Site On corner near prison, lake 
and church.  
Fa?ade is quite imposing 
although does not front the 
main road. Old trees near 
entrance still. 
Its location made it easy to 
access and users not be 
seen form main road. 
Structure Very large structure. Been 
changed to meet altered 
use. 
Large building with many 
potential uses. 
Imposing and severe. Not 
welcoming except for 
members. Now access is 
off main road and access 
easy. 
Skin Plaster, with pillars at the 
old entrance and structure 
high on the entrance 
gables. 
Easy to maintain and very 
simple in design. 
Plain and functional. 
User functions Changed to use as a 
garage. 
Can be altered for other 
uses. 
Garage at present as hall 
area converted. 
Intangible feeling & spirit Severe and mysterious at 
old entrance. 
Quite unique old entrance. 
Doors are however gone. 
Useful place. 
Conserve the:               Old entrance fa?ade. 
  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 131
  Venue 22:                                                                                  Methodist Church 
Observation category Historic value  Aesthetic value Social value 
Site Located opposite the lake 
and near the prison. 
Typical of this religious 
group, to locate near town 
centre. 
Religious gatherings 
Structure Small building, pointed 
windows, steep pitched 
roof. 
Pretty and well kept. New structures have been 
added to meet needs of 
community. 
Skin Plaster and wood with tin 
roof. 
White paint walls with red 
roof. 
 
User functions Religious centre Religious centre Religious centre although a 
small congregation 
Intangible feeling & spirit Calm and quite with large 
trees at the entrance on the 
pavement. 
Pretty setting, calm and 
quiet. 
Meeting place for 
congregation, which is quite 
old. 
Conserve the:             Whole structure 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 132
 Venue 23:                                                                                    Boksburg Prison 
Observation category Historic value  Aesthetic value Social value 
Site Built at the outer end of the 
old town sector. 
Housed prisoners that were 
made to dig out the lake. 
Overlooking the lake and 
accessible to public 
transport at the Boksburg 
station. 
Protection of locals as it 
was not near the residential 
areas. 
Structure Sandstone blocks.  
Large wooden doors. Tin 
roof. Divided internally into 
blocks around quadrangles 
used as exercise areas. 
Very well designed. Thick 
high walls and quads. Few 
windows, so it is dark 
inside. Play areas have 
been constructed for the 
children outside. 
Enables separation of 
groups internally. 
Skin Sandstone.  Low maintenance but is 
weathering in many places. 
Requires little work 
externally but some work 
and maintenance internally 
to make it useable. 
User functions Prison for men, then 
women. Was left 
abandoned for years. 
Military use followed. Now 
used as a safe house for 
abused woman and   
children and some men. 
Safe from interference by 
the public and gives 
residents? privacy. 
Protective and private 
facility. 
Intangible feeling & spirit Sad air about it and always 
has had. 
Enables safety by way of its 
design. 
A very sad place. 
Conserve the:                  Whole structure 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 133
   Venue 24:                                                                                       Boksburg Lake 
Observation category Historic value  Aesthetic value Social value 
Site Originally a wetland 
excavated manually to 
create lake. 
Centrally located. Lovely 
resource when pristine. 
Island habitat for birds in 
the past 
Was always centre of 
activity in area as well as 
town. Located between 
numerous hotels within 
walking distance in old 
days. 
Structure Bridges to island, 
promenade and over inlet 
Gardens, fountains, 
bandstand and promenade 
lovely to use. 
Building on western bank a 
clubhouse in past and well 
used. No longer ideal. 
Skin Natural banks 
Concrete inlet and outlet 
Useable facility for public 
over many decades in the 
past. 
Easy to maintain gardens 
around the feature but not 
the water itself. 
User functions Was important as 
recreation area for water 
sports, picnicking and social 
events 
Cannot be used because of 
the water condition shown 
to have excessive ecoli 
levels and no one taking 
responsibility. 
No longer except for illicit 
use. 
Intangible feeling & spirit Disgust at the state of 
resource and security 
problems 
Won?t use area in spite of 
setting and views. 
Wasted resource 
Conserve the:                           Lake itself, (fix water first and maintain it). 
 
  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 134
  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
View westwards along the western section  of Commissioner Street. This section was called Union Road.  
Older section of the town covering the buildings listed below.  Photographer T R Uren October 2008  
 
Venue 25:                                                                         Trafalgar caf? & Annex 
Observation category Historic value  Aesthetic value Social value 
Site Always been a service 
building.  
Adjacent to it as part of 
structure is a residence and 
medical practice. 
Lovely entrance and doors 
and windows still in tact.  
Was a meeting place with 
easy access from 
Plantation suburb and lake 
users.  
Structure . Pressed ceilings and Doric 
columns on curtilage. 
Original roof. One wall gone 
internally. 
Wood and glass with 
mirrored entrance. Tin roof. 
Wooden air vents in facade 
Street fa?ade quite large 
and would have been 
enticing in the past. 
Skin Only addition has been 
security bars 
Plastered where not glass. 
Doors painted. 
Simple structure and easy 
to use. 
User functions Still in use as caf?, but 
goods of low order to 
supply basics to the poor 
neighbourhood.  
Not pleasant inside but 
fairly sound. 
Meeting place in the past 
and still is so. Although the 
nature of the people using 
has changed. 
Intangible feeling & spirit Would not make use of it at 
present, not clean enough.  
Can be fixed to look better 
and set example of 
conservation. 
Service to poor and passing 
trade still valuable. 
Conserve the:   Whole structure and fix interior ?  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 135
      Venue 26:                                                                         Anglican Annex 
Observation category Historic value  Aesthetic value Social value 
Site Was part of a large 
distillery, ideally located 
between all the old hotels in 
area.  
Only the fa?ade is good. Close to church and manse. 
Structure Plaster, wooden floors and 
has an old basement 
Serves its purpose inside 
as privacy is needed hence 
subdivisions. 
Does not allow for crowds 
to gather inside so keeps to 
business type gatherings. 
Skin Plaster work interesting in 
fa?ade. Ornate date crests. 
Functional Poor view to the south. 
User functions Distillery and changed to 
offices of Anglican church 
which is a provincial 
heritage structure. 
Offices therefore do not 
need to be good- looking. 
Offices so it serves its 
purpose. 
Intangible feeling & spirit Not welcoming , door in on 
south side and small and 
dark inside  
Not welcoming and creaky 
floor and dark and damp. 
Functional not friendly 
Conserve the:              Fa?ade and basement and also the wood and iron garage at the manse. 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 136
 Venue 27:                                                                     Christian Science Church 
Observation category Historic value  Aesthetic value Social value 
Site Located near old hotel 
sites. In walking distance of 
public transport facilities. 
On main access road. 
Main old structure quite 
good.   
Used until recently  
Structure Red brick with arched 
windows. Added foyer more 
recently and not of 
matching material 
Easy to maintain and very 
solid.   
Can be converted because 
it?s a solid fairly large 
structure. 
Skin Face-brick and tin roof. 
Wooden bargeboards and 
finial. 
Well constructed with very 
intricate brickwork around 
windows. 
Low maintenance. 
Presently becoming 
overgrown.  
User functions Used extensively in the past Has potential for re-use Unused 
Intangible feeling & spirit Quiet place and seldom 
used. 
Can be pleasant but area 
not good. 
People will not easily enter 
the area 
Conserve the:   Building without the new entrance. 
 
       
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 137
 Venue 28                                                                               Old chemist    
Observation category Historic value  Aesthetic value Social value 
Site Located at an accessible 
point near the original 
station.   
Central to the many medical 
doctors in the area. 
Has granite columns on 
fa?ade and pillars on 
cartilage and inside. 
Window arches are unusual 
Had always had an 
important role to play in 
terms of local businesses 
and as a meeting place. 
Structure Large impressive structure. Good looking even 100 
years on. 
Was a good sound 
structure with easy access. 
Skin Mix of plaster and paint. 
Stonework has been 
painted.  
Still appears reasonable. View of recreational areas 
and places of importance 
exceptional at the time. 
User functions Chemist, then bottle store 
now split into light 
industries. Upper floor used 
for residential activity. 
Internally not good.  It is a home for some 
tenants and a place of 
business for others. 
Intangible feeling & spirit Tells the story of the time, 
still. 
Can be conserved on the 
outside and upstairs. 
Meeting place but for very 
different clientele. 
Conserve the:    Whole structure ? what remains. 
 
 
 
 
 
 
  
 138
 Venue 29:                                                                                  Nicks Bottle Store 
Observation category Historic value  Aesthetic value Social value 
Site Along the main road at the 
time and near the station. 
Very unique  Important then and still now 
due to its location. 
Structure Sound and in good order. 
Unique iron work and 
access to upper floor. 
Only remaining structure of 
this type in the town. 
Was a bottle store which it 
still is but it has changed 
owners. 
Upstairs residential. 
Skin Plaster and iron work 
unique. 
Only one in town that 
remains. 
Can tell of the history and 
activity of the time. 
User functions Accessible and well used 
venue. 
Pleasant to look at. Still 
looks good but function 
changed. 
Meeting place and it still 
remains so. 
Intangible feeling & spirit Unusual appearance gives 
it an air of being in the USA 
and in a Western movie. 
Can still be used and 
improve its appearance if 
upper fa?ade fixed up and 
restores and if missing 
staircase on side replaced. 
Retain the structure as it is 
being used well and serves 
the population of the area. 
Conserve the:  Whole structure. 
        
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 139
 Venue 30.                                                          Pope?s Building 
Observation category Historic value  Aesthetic value Social value 
Site Between the hotels. 
Near the station and 
facilities. 
Very unusual in its 
appearance and it juts out 
over the pavement.  
Accessible and near all the 
functions of the time. Was a 
butchery at the beginning. 
Structure Soundly constructed. 
Pillars on the pavement to 
support the upper floors.   
Large bold structure. 
Shakespearian in 
appearance and design.  
Easy to enter and access.  
Skin Plaster and paint Basic plaster and paint Ground level is glasses so 
easy to enter and use.  
User functions Residential upper section 
and retail at ground floor.  
Hotel and residential upper 
section. Now mixed. The 
annexes behind are also 
being used as residential 
flats. 
Busy and was always in 
use even tough functions 
changed.  
Intangible feeling & spirit Proud and unusual. Bold and appears to say I 
am here to stay. 
Seems to be happy place 
and lots of people are using 
it. 
Conserve the:              Whole structure 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 140
 Venue 31:                                                                  Bowling Club and pergola 
Observation category Historic value  Aesthetic value Social value 
Site Large open space placed 
between all old hotels. One 
block from station.  
Green space. Peaceful 
setting with creepers over 
pergola in the grounds.  
Central location made it 
user friendly for locals and 
visitors to the town. 
Structure Building on north side. 
Greens to south and 
pergola on western side 
with lawns surrounding it. 
Fencing - picket metal. 
Pergola has concrete 
columns with wooden cross 
beams.  
Although small the 
clubhouse serves the 
purpose for the members 
and visitors. 
Skin Face brick structure, 
Parquet flooring. Roofing is  
tin 
Pretty setting and needed 
green area in a very run-
 down sector of town.  
Easy maintenance of 
building but lawns are hard 
to keep. 
User functions Club for recreation Still maintained as club. Still used regularly. 
Intangible feeling & spirit Well loved and cherished 
venue. Steeped in history 
and linking past residents to 
the town. 
Happy place and proud of 
what it represents. 
Happy and utilized place 
with many memories of past 
and present.  
Conserve the:              Whole structure and grounds as it is. 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 141
 Venue 32:                                                                                        Police Station 
Observation category Historic value  Aesthetic value Social value 
Site Corner of main road and at 
old railway crossing which 
was replaced by a bridge. 
Stands at the Western 
entrance to the town along 
the main access roads.  
Civic function, so people 
only go there when needed 
and it is easily accessible. 
Structure Large, long double storey 
building.  
Balconies are unusual. 
Entrances ornate. 
On entrance and usually 
crowded on weekends. 
Skin Red brick and tiles roof. 
Sash windows replaced 
some years back. Balconies 
set in front of glass doors 
on upper floor. 
Some weathering of 
structure, especially 
balconies. Internal 
subdivisions were made to 
suit modern day needs.  
Appearance intimidating so 
people don?t often go there 
unless they have to. 
User functions Civic use as police station. 
Cavalry unit in the past is 
back.   
Severe appearance does 
not make for a pleasant 
visit.   
Police ? law enforcement. 
Intangible feeling & spirit Impressive building. Unpleasant because it is 
usually a negative visit and 
good service not 
guaranteed. 
Not a nice place to go to. 
Conserve the:             Whole structure  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 142
 Venue 33:                                                    Cottages adjacent to Police station 
Observation category Historic value  Aesthetic value Social value 
Site Accessible to main road. 
Near the old railway 
crossing and now the K90 
bridge. 
Frontage is attractive and 
easily accessed even form 
the back of the structures.  
Next to the police station so 
there may be some 
negative influence to bear 
on occupying them now. 
Structure Solidly constructed. Single 
storey and of the semi-
 detached type.  
Good looking frontages. 
Many fireplaces internally. 
Sociable in terms of its 
large verandah, but not 
private in terms of its 
position.  
Skin Plaster and painted walls 
and tin roof. 
Well maintained until 
recently. 
Open and inviting. 
User functions Was used for policeman 
and families.  
Residential, now 
abandoned although owned 
by the police.  
Residential now 
abandoned. 
Intangible feeling & spirit Sad and neglected. They 
are in a very noisy place. 
They need young people to 
occupy them to cheer them 
up and make use of them. 
Needs to be occupied by 
someone and maintained or 
else squatters may enter 
them and destroy them. 
Conserve the:               whole structure. 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 143
 Venue 34:                                                           Houses opposite Police Station 
Observation category Historic value  Aesthetic value Social value 
Site Railway cottages near the 
old station and old crossing.  
Examples of basic old 
cottages that were 
constructed for employees. 
Few remain in towns that 
have not been renovated.  
Would have been important 
in the past because of their 
position. Now cut off from 
the rest of the area by 
roads and freeways. 
Structure Brick and plaster with some 
wood. 
Basic and simple 
structures. Large front 
verandahs. 
Cosy homes, friendly for 
those that visit and 
accessible.  
Skin Painted brick Not in good condition 
because of cost of 
maintenance. 
Not inviting because its in a 
state of disrepair. 
User functions Residential  Residential  Residential 
Intangible feeling & spirit Poor and yet functional Poor Friendly 
Conserve the:               Both structures. 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 144
 Venue 35:                                                                                 Old Mine doctor?s house 
Observation category Historic value  Aesthetic value Social value 
Site Located between the mine 
houses and shafts. 
Accessible to all.  
Unusual setting in town 
now. But originally well 
planned.  
Easy meeting place for 
those in need.  
Structure Mix of brick, plaster and 
wood. Lovely large 
verandah. 
Very unusual and in good 
condition. Grounds need 
work.  
Large and could be used by 
many. 
Skin Well preserved and recently 
painted. 
Good condition and good to 
look at. 
Large verandah welcomed 
people. 
User functions Residential and now 
nursery school.   
Can be used easily as there 
is much space inside and 
outside. 
Have changed to include 
lots of small children. 
Intangible feeling & spirit Kind and welcoming place 
on large grounds. 
Friendly and happy 
appearance. 
Warm and remains a safe 
place. 
Conserve the:                      Whole structure. 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 145
 Appendix N 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
                                
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
  Newspaper article and picture of South Street demolition. 
 146
 Appendix O 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 147
  
      Extract from BHA Newsletter. 
 
 148
 Appendix P: 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
            Extract of NHRA Act pertaining to keeping of registers.